


Missing

by Traw



Category: Hawaii Five-O (1968)
Genre: Angst, Crime, Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mention of Rape/Non-con Elements, Possible slash in later chapters, Rating May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-04-22 17:26:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 28,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14313600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traw/pseuds/Traw
Summary: Sometimes a good Samaritan is not as good as he seems. Alone and with no memory, Danny Williams places his trust in the wrong man. Steve McGarrett finds himself in a race not only against time but also against a killer to find and save the life of his partner and closest friend.





	1. Chapter 1

Staring at the battered reflection looking back at him from the window, he lifted his hand and gently traced over the dark bruises that marred the face he did not recognize. He winced as his fingers moved across the swollen cheekbone before trailing up to the dark trail of blood that trickled from beneath his dirty sandy curls. He bit his lip in fear and frustration as he continued to study the reflected stranger, the dirty, bloodied hairy and torn and stained clothes just added to his despair. No matter how hard he tried his past remained a black hole and thoughts of the present left him with a chilling sense of fear.

Forcing himself to turn away from sickening sight of his own reflection, he stumbled towards the safety of the small alleyway just across the road, ignoring the muttered comments and disparaging remarks about drunks and druggies roaming the streets of Honolulu and ruining paradise that he heard from the small group of tourists who were watching him with disgust. Reaching the shadowed entrance to the alleyway, he quickly hurried into its comforting darkness, gladly disappearing from the disapproving tourists' sight. He slowly made his way to the large steel bins that lined the sidewall, his arms wrapping protectively around his sore, bruised ribs as he gently eased himself down, hidden from the prying eyes.

OoOoOoO

Reaching for the evening paper from the stand, Paul Ryan hesitated as the young, disheveled man staggered past and disappeared into the dark, filthy recesses of the alleyway. Shaking his head in dismay that even paradise had its share of the poor and homeless he turned back and retrieved his paper from the stand, unfolding it wide to read the boldly printed headlines.

"Paul, what's wrong?" Sarah Ryan frowned as her husband paused and turned slowly to look back at the alleyway.

"Did you notice that guy that just disappeared into there?" Paul asked softly as he took a step back in the direction that they had just come.

"The filthy drunk?" Sarah asked confused at her husband's actions. "Yeah, what about him?"

Glancing down at the newspaper he had clutched tightly in his slightly trembling hands, Paul asked softly, "Didn't he look like the detective they think is dead?" Staring at the photo of the smiling, sandy haired detective below the headlines ' **Hope Fades For Missing Five-0 Detective**  - Foul play suspected', the silver haired tourist looked back towards the alleyway, "Don't you think that guy looked like him?"

Grabbing her husband's arm, Sarah gave him a gentle tug, "He looked like a thousand other bums in a thousand other cities. If it was the missing detective, don't you think someone would have recognized him by now? "

Blushing under his wife's gentle chastisement, Paul nodded and allowed his wife to lead him away as he conceded softly, "I guess you could be right..."

"Could be right? You know I'm right, Silly," Sarah laughed, "Now let's get to that restaurant that the nice man at the hotel recommended."

Reluctantly following his wife, Paul glanced over his shoulder at the darkening recess into which the young man had disappeared, unable to shake the feeling that he was right… the battered and disheveled young man look uncannily similar to the smiling face in the paper.

0)0)0)0)

Tossing the newspaper down onto his desk in disgust, McGarrett glared angrily across the computer table at the two detectives watching him. "The media may be losing hope of finding Danny alive, but we are not going to give up as easily! Danny is out there somewhere waiting for us to find him and that's what we are going to do."

Casting a quick glance across at Kono, Chin turned back and waited for Steve to continue, aware that their boss blamed himself for Danny's disappearance. Unlike the dark-haired lead detective, who refused to even consider the very real possibility that they could now be looking for a body, Chin found himself agreeing with the depressing headlines - his own hopes for finding the missing detective alive were fading fast.

Kono shifted uneasily as he watched McGarrett, Chin's distress face mirrored his own private thoughts about the probable fate of their friend, but he knew McGarrett would never give up hope – not until they found Danny's body.

"Okay, what have we got?" Steve asked.

"Lots of reported sightings of Danny, Boss, from people seeing him living it up big in da nightclubs in Waikiki to a tourist who said she saw him getting on a plane at Honolulu airport with three beautiful wahines." Kono began as he glanced the newspaper on the table and looked back at his boss. "HPD have checked each sighting but so far no leads."

Rubbing a hand over his face, Steve sighed, "What's the word from the street?"

"There's plenty of talk on the coconut wireless, Steve," Chin answered, "but nothing we can use- just wild theories and speculation of what might have happened and who could have been involved. We are checking out the alibis of anyone even mentioned in the rumors. If anyone knows anything about what happened to Danny, they're not talking."

"What about Simons?"

"He made bond yesterday. HPD are keeping him under surveillance. He went directly home and hasn't left the house, nor has he had any visitors." Chin reported.

"What about the phone tap?" Steve asked, turning his attention back to Kono.

"No phone calls incoming or outgoing, if Simons knows where Danny is, he isn't telling anyone."

"Or he knows whoever is holding Danny already knows his instructions." Steve growled as his eyes fell upon the discarded newspaper and the smiling photo of his closest friend on its front page before he pushed himself away from the table and began to pace restlessly. "He knows where Danny is and what has happened to him, so I don't want him out of our sight!"

Chin and Kono nodded their agreement, Simons was the only link they had to Danny's disappearance and he had to have had someone helping but so far, they were no closer to finding out who or even how then they were a week ago. It was almost as if Danny had vanished into thin air. There had been no forensic evidence or even tell-tale signs of a struggle, if it wasn't for Steve finding Danny's gun lying in the grass, there would have been no evidence except for their own eyewitness' verification that Danny had even been at the scene. Simons had denied any involvement with Danny's disappearance, insisting that he had not even known Williams had been there.

"I want you both out on the streets again. Squeeze your snitches! Recheck all the reported sightings and then check and recheck the hospitals and clinics again, anywhere where Danny might turn if he has managed to escape and is injured." McGarrett demanded, as both Chin and Kono hurriedly acknowledged the desperate order and hurried from the office.

Staring at the photo in the file on his desk where Simon's face seemed to smirk back at him, Steve shivered as another icy wave of guilt and fear rippled through his soul. It was his fault this had happened. He should have anticipated that Simons had been planning something big; the arrest had been too easy with Simons giving up without even a fight. That should have tipped him off that something was wrong seriously wrong, but it didn't and now Danny had paid the price.

The powerful businessman had been responsible for the gruesome murders of a State Senator, who had stood in the way of his plans to build a luxury resort in the pristine rainforests of Kauai, and the Senator's wife. The couple's deaths had been extremely brutal with both victims enduring hours of torture before dying a slow painful death from blood loss and shock.

The investigation against Simons had been thwart with obstacles and opposition as Simons attempted to use his influence with his friends in high places to stop the investigation by Five 0, this coupled with disappearing evidence and unco-operative, terrified witnesses had added to the long hours and stress of the investigation. It had taken a lot of hard work, frustratingly long hours, tedious footwork, checking and rechecking of evidence, witnesses' statements and following up the numerous leads, some of which led nowhere before they were able to gather enough evidence to charge Simons with kidnapping, torture and murder.

Swallowing hard, Steve replayed in his mind that fateful day that took place a week before. The arrest warrant had been obtained and he had decided to make the arrest himself. Arriving at Simons' home, he and Kono had taken the front while Danny had covered the back. He had been surprised when faced with the arrest warrant the cocky businessman had fully co- operated with his arrest.

It wasn't until after Simons had been handcuffed and led to the car by Kono did Steve notice something amiss. Danny had not returned from covering the back of the house nor had he entered the home during the arrest. Surprised and disturbed by Danny's unexplained break in procedure, Steve had ordered Kono to remain with their prisoner while he drew his gun and quietly but cautiously headed around the back of the house to investigate. Reaching the corner of the house, he had pressed himself against the hard-wooden wall for protection, his gun ready for any possible threats before he quickly glanced around the corner. "Danny?"

Danny did not answer, and the yard appeared empty as he stepped cautiously from behind the protection of the building and slowly looked around. The rear door to the house was still closed and his heart froze at the sight of Danny's gun lying abandoned in the grass. Hurrying across to the closed door, he quickly tried the handle only to find the door was still securely locked. Turning back to the near barren yard, he desperately searched for some sign of his missing partner as he called Danny's name.

McGarrett shook away the distressing memory as he whispered, "Hang on Danny, we're going to find you, I just need you to hang on a little longer."

OoOoOoO

Stepping into the dark alleyway, Damien Rodgers flicked on his torch as he began his nightly search of yet another foul-smelling alleyway, looking for the forgotten and unwanted citizens of paradise. He knew that many made their homes in the darkest recesses of buildings and behind the rat-infested bins, trying to find safety in a world that shunned them. Many found solace from drink and drugs and some were ill from exposure, hunger or withdrawals from drugs that they were no longer able to buy but no matter what condition he found them in they would all be welcome in his home, he would provide for their every need, their every desire and all he asked in return was they would allow him to become their Savior!

A soft moan from somewhere behind the large bins told him his search in this alleyway was over and as he quickly moved around to the other side of the bin and shone his torch at the dirty, disheveled figure huddled in the corner between the other side of the bin and the wall.

The young man shrunk even further against the wall and lifted up his hand in an attempt to protect himself as the bright torch beam illuminated him and his hiding place as he began to beg fearfully. "No, please, no more! Just leave me alone!"

"Hey, come on Bruddah, ya can't sleep here," Damien whispered ignoring the weak protests to be left alone as he tugged on the young intoxicated man's arm and pulled him to his feet. Wrapping the younger man's arm firmly around his shoulder, he grabbed the young man's waist, carefully helping him to walk towards the mouth of the alleyway and his waiting van as he continued to talk.

"Da cops don't like anyone sleepin' on da streets, especially anyone as drunk or as high as you. Why don't cha come with me? I know a place where ya can clean up, get somethin' hot to eat and have a roof over ya head ta sleep tonight. I promise you're safe with me!"

0)0)0)0)

Growling in annoyance, Simons pushed himself up from the sofa and with a last glance towards the television screen slowly made his way to his front door, loudly cursing whoever it was knocking and interrupting his television show. Yanking the door open, he groaned and rolled his eyes as he growled, "Oh, it's only you!" before he turned and walked away. "What the Hell do you want?"

Unfazed by rude greeting, Manny Harris entered the house and closed the door firmly behind him before following his cousin back into the living room. "I noticed the cops are still keeping a close eye on you. I saw an unmarked car with two cops sitting in it at the end of the road watching the house. McGarrett has to be crazy if he still believes you had anything to do with that cop's disappearance."

"McGarrett can think what he likes. He still has to prove it and that's going to be hard for him to do seeing that he's my alibi when Williams went missing- after all he was slapping the cuffs on me at the time." The large business man laughed as he walked over to the small bar and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. "And if he thinks I'm going down for the murder, then he's in for a real surprise!"

"What do you mean?" Manny asked suspiciously, aware that his cousin could be a dangerous man when he felt threatened and the evidence and eye witnesses that Five 0 had gathered threatened to put his cousin in jail for the rest of his life. The small cruel grin that flickered across Mark Simon's face sent an icy shiver of dread through Manny's soul and he decided that he did not want to know the answer, instead he quickly decided to change the subject, remembering a message that Mark's partner had asked him to pass along. "Adrian asked me to pass on a message to you,"

"Well, what is it?" Simons demanded as he poured two stiff drinks of Bourbon and shoved one of the glasses into his cousin's hand and nodded for him to sit on the expensive white leather sofa before dropping heavily onto the other seat in the room in front of the flickering television screen.

"He said to tell you that he has a small problem regarding your puppy. That someone left the door open and the puppy escaped. He has the boys out searching for it now!"

"Damn it!" Simons growled enraged slamming the glass down onto the coffee table ignoring the dark fluid that splashed over its rim and onto his hand.

"I didn't know you had a dog, Mark." His cousin frowned in confusion, "I've never seen it around."

"Adrian isn't talking about a dog, you Idiot!" Simons roared as he rose from his seat and glared at the smaller man, "He's talking about McGarrett's puppy, Williams!"

"Williams?" Manny's dark eyes opened wide, "But you told me you had nothing to do with his disappearance! You swore on your mother's grave!"

"I lied!" Simons snarled, ignoring the look of shock on his cousin's face, as he snatched up the phone and began to dial a familiar number.


	2. Chapter 2

"I don't care if you think that I have spoiled our evening, Sarah, I just know that the young man we saw go into the alley was the missing detective in the paper." Paul Ryan sighed at his wife sitting beside him on the sofa of their hotel room before he turned back to the Honolulu police officer who was waiting patiently for him to continue telling him about the young man that they had seen earlier in the night. "I swear Officer, the young man we saw looked exactly like the missing detective in the paper, but he was dirty and looked like he was possibly hurt."

"He was drunk!" Sarah complained hotly, shaking her head in disgust that their evening's plans had been ruined by Paul's insistence that the drunk they had encountered before dinner was the missing cop, insisting they had a duty to report his suspicions to the police. "So drunk that he could hardly walk!"

"And you're positive it was Detective Williams?" Chin asked, pulling out a photo from his pocket of Danny and handing it to the excited tourist to examine.

Paul nodded as he passed the small photo to his wife, "Yeah, I'm sure that's the guy we saw."

"Mrs. Ryan?" Chin asked as he watched the woman study the photo as she worried her bottom lip.

Slowly Sarah looked up from the photo and nodded reluctantly as she handed it back to the officer, "Yeah, Paul's right, this is the man we saw go into the alleyway, but I still swear he was drunk and not hurt!"

Ignoring the revulsion in the woman's voice, Chin asked, "Can you tell me where you last saw him?"

Rising from the chair, Paul straightened his suit and grinned eagerly at Chin as he led the Five-0 detective towards the door, "Better than that officer, I can take you to the alleyway."

0)0)0)0)

Stopping the car in front of his small beach shack, Damien turned and reached across and gently shook the shoulder of his sleeping passenger who was huddled up against the door. He smiled reassuringly as the homeless man jumped at his touch and opened his eyes before looking around in confusion.

"What? Where?" Danny asked as he sat up and blinked, looking around uncertainly.

Squeezing the trembling shoulder beneath his hand, Damien nodded towards the shack. "We're home. You're safe here." Seeing the uncertainty and fear in the younger man's eyes, Damien nodded encouragingly towards the small house, "It's better than sleeping on the streets, my friend. Why don't we go inside and bandage you ribs?" Damian suggested as he glanced down at the arm Danny had wrapped protectively around his sore ribs before he glanced back up and saw the slight blush that colored his passenger's face, "And have something hot to eat. By the look of you I would say it's been a while since you ate anything decent."

Running his hand nervously over his hair as he stared at the small house, Danny tried to ignore the painful throb that seemed to radiate from every part of his body. Unable to remember who he was or even where he lived, he really had nowhere else to go and the mere suggestion of a hot meal caused his stomach to growl loudly. He couldn't remember the last time that he had eaten and the attempting to draw the memory from the darkness of the hole of where that memory should be left him feeling ill with dread and fear. Reluctantly he nodded his head in agreement.

Damian smiled as he quickly excited the car and hurried around the passenger side to help his young guest from the car. He murmured soft words of empathy as Danny moaned in pain as he carefully wrapped the younger man's arm around his shoulder and helped him enter the house.

OoOoOoOoOo

Chin looked up from the notes he was taking and instructed the young man he was speaking to the wait as McGarrett's car screeched to a rocking halt only feet away from them.

Steve quickly alighted from the truck and glanced around first at the alleyway now bright with the lights from flashlights where several HPD officers were searching every inch of the ground within, then to the tourist couple standing close to the HPD car watching the action, to finally the young disheveled, emaciated man to whom Chin had been speaking. Hurrying across to Chin, he demanded, "What have we got, Chin?"

"A positive ID Steve, Danny was seen stumbling into the alleyway less than two hours ago. Mr and Mrs Ryan identified Danny from the photo as the man who stumbled into them on his way to the alley earlier tonight. At first, they dismissed him as another homeless man, but Mr Ryan recognized who he was from the picture in the newspaper and called us. They said Danny appeared to be dirty and injured. We found blood behind one of the bins in the alley, but Danny's gone. Che Fong is taking samples now."

Steve frowned as he stared into the mouth of the alley. "Gone? Gone where? And if it was Danny, why would he come here and not try and contact us?"

Chin frowned and shrugged, "I don't know why Danny came here but I have a witness who saw Danny leave." he announced softly as he tilted his head towards the young man he had been talking to only moments before. "Frankie is a bit strung out, but he did see Danny leave and was able to positively identify Danny from the photo."

"How do we know he's telling us the truth and not just looking for some money for his next hit?" McGarrett asked dubiously as he stared at the druggie who was shifting nervously from foot to foot as rubbed his bare arms almost as if trying to warm himself.

"Frankie might be hurting for his next hit Steve, but he is one of my most reliable snitches." Chin answered, "He's never lied to me before."

Steve nodded his acceptance of Chin's confidence about whatever the young drug addict would tell them would be the truth.

Leading Steve across to where Frankie waited, Chin made the brief introduction and both Five-0 officers ignored the drug addict's indignant snarl that he was already aware of who McGarrett was.

"Chin told me that you saw this man leave the alley earlier this evening." Steve began as he showed a photo of his missing detective.

"Yeah, I saw him." Frankie answered sulkily. "He accidentally stumbled into those toffee-nosed tourists over there," he nodded towards the Ryans with disdain, "before he went into the alley." Turning his attention back to Chin he added, "It looked like someone had really worked him over good, Chin."

"Worked him over?" Steve interrupted impatiently, his chest tightening at the information.

Sighing loudly in feigned frustration, Frankie rolled his eyes dramatically before he glared at McGarrett. "Yeah, looked like someone had really given him a beating. He was pretty bloodied and bruised." Returning his attention back to Chin, Frankie continued, "But he didn't stay in the alley long, he left with the Messiah'."

"'The 'Messiah'?" Chin asked in confusion as he stole a quick glanced towards McGarrett, noting the lead detective looked as confused, as Frankie nodded nervously and glanced around almost as if afraid that someone would hear him as he continued softly.

"Yeah, the 'Messiah'." Frankie repeated, his hands rubbing at his arms nervously as he softly began to explain, "He's a really weird dude, bruddah, scary weird. He likes to find street people and take them home."

"Where's his home?' Chin prodded gently, sensing the druggie's rising nervous tension and afraid pushing him too hard would cause the younger man to flee.

"I don't know and I don't wanta know. No way, Bruddah! No way! I don't ever want to know where he lives!" Frankie answered as his terror showed in his face.

"What about the other homeless that he has taken home? Maybe they can tell us?" Steve demanded gruffly.

Frankie turned towards Steve and began to slowly back away, "You don't get it, do you? They can't tell you 'cause they aren't around! Nobody ever comes back from the Messiah's house- they just vanish into thin air. Poof - they're gone as if they never even existed and then he goes on the prowl again for someone new to take home."

"Why aren't they reported missing?" McGarrett frowned.

A high pitched, nervous laugh escaped from Frankie's lips as he sadly smiled, "'Cause no one ever cares if a homeless man disappears, they are just one less piece of rubbish littering the sidewalks of Paradise. One less, unwelcome sight for the tourist to see." Turning his attention back to Chin, Frankie lowered his voice in regret and sympathy, "I'm sorry Chin, but if the guy in the photo is your friend than he is in big pilikia, real big pilikia. I'm afraid there's no hope for him!"

OoOoOo

Easing his 'guest' down on the sofa, Damien turned and hurried from the room to come back a few minutes later with bandages, a bowl of hot soapy water and a towel. He placed the items on the small coffee table before dipping the edge of the towel in the water and turned back to Danny to gently dab at the cut on Dan's head. He smiled as he noticed the young man looking around. "It might not be much but its home."

"It looks comfortable." Danny answered politely as he eyed the meager furniture scattered around the room.

The older man's smile turned into a grin as his own eyes traveled around the room. "More like Spartan." He chuckled as his eyes roamed over the tattered sofa, the old wooden coffee table and the small television that sat on a crate near the wall, "But it suits me fine. Now how about I get you feeling a little more comfortable by wrapping those sore ribs and helping you get cleaned up a little," he commanded softly as he reached for Danny's shirt and began to unbutton it as he continued to talk, "And then I will get you something to eat…" His voice trailed off into silence as he stared at the dark bruises that covered his guest's ribs as Danny shrugged out of his shirt.

Danny shifted uncomfortably at the older man's shocked stare and moved to pull his shirt back over his shoulders.

Realizing his guest's discomfort, Damien looked up into the younger man's eyes and forced a small smile as he quickly attempted to reassure him. "It's okay, I guess I just wasn't expecting to see your ribs as bruised as they are." he stated simply, softly apologizing as Danny gasped in pain as he palpated the injured ribs. "Feels like three of them could be broken, the rest are just bruised I think." Reaching for a bandage, Damian began to strap the injured ribs before he looked up at Danny and frowned, "Looks like someone really worked you over - want to talk about it?"

Danny swallowed hard as his heart began to race and he shook his head, "I …I don't remember…"

Damien frown deepened as he rose and collected the items he had used. "You don't remember?" The younger man shook his head and looked away as Damien eyed him closely, "Maybe I had better keep a close eye on you tonight – your memory loss could be because of your head injury."

Danny didn't answer as his host turned and walked out of the room, unwilling to admit that the darkness where his memories were supposed to be was frightening.

"Do you remember your name?" The older man's question made Danny jump and he turned back to find Damien standing in front of him holding a steaming mug of something.

"No…" Danny answered truthfully as Damien placed the mug of soup into his hand and encouraged him to take a few sips of the hot liquid. Lowering the mug, he looked up into the concerned eyes of his rescuer as he admitted, "I don't remember anything."

"It'll come back to you – it's not important at the moment if we do or don't know your name. What's more important is that you eat some more of that hot soup in front of you and then get a good night's sleep. Get some rest and I'm sure you will remember everything in the morning." Damien smiled and nodded towards the hot mug of soup, watching as Danny took several more sips. Names were not important - he preferred never to know who they were. The only important thing that mattered to him was he was their Messiah and their only hope of salvation. Danny nodded unconvinced before a yawn caught him by surprise. Damien laughed as the younger man blushed, "I guess you need a good night's sleep more than you need the soup." He laughed heartily as he helped Dan rise from the chair and guided him towards the spare bedroom.

Easing the injured man onto bed, Damien smiled in self-satisfaction as Danny's eyes closed as soon as his head touched the pillow. He chuckled as a soft snore indicated that his guest was asleep. This one was more sensitive to the drugs than the others - he had not yet built up the tolerance to drugs that the other druggies who had been living on the street had.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve sighed aloud as he studied the latest reports about Danny's disappearance. His own mental review of the case had left him with more disturbing questions than answers. He pulled the surveillance report from HPD about Simons closer as he reread the officer's report that Simons had not left his residence and the only visitor he had had all day was a cousin who had not yet left. If Simons was the one who had grabbed Danny, then he was not yet aware of Danny’ escape or was playing it cool while his thugs searched for his victim.

He sighed as he pushed the folder away. Danny's escape left more unanswered questions. Why didn't Danny contact the office or even HPD? What was he doing in that alley tonight? Witnesses and forensic evidence indicated he was hurt, so why didn't he seek assistance? And why had he so willingly gone with the 'Messiah?'

_The 'Messiah'_. Steve felt a cold chill travel down his spine as the words of Duke's snitch's terrified words echoed in his mind.  _"The 'Messiah.' He's a really weird dude, bruddah, scary weird. He likes to find street people and take them home. Nobody ever comes back from the 'Messiah's' house - they just vanish into thin air -poof - they're gone as if they never existed and then he goes on the prowl again for someone new to take home._ "

A light rap on his office door interrupted his thoughts and he looked up and watched silently as his two detectives entered. The grim look on Chin’s face warned Steve that the information they had been able to obtain about Frankie's claims of the missing homeless men connected to their suspect was not good.

"We checked out some of our contacts on the street and they're scared, Bruddah," Chin began as he settled on the white chair in front of Steve’s desk "They are all terrified of this guy they are calling the 'Messiah.' So far we have been told about six people who were last seen in his company and haven't been seen again."

"Word one the coconut wireless is that they vanished into thin air, Boss." Kono added.

"Six?" McGarrett stared at Chin and Kono in stunned disbelief. "There are  _six_?"

Chin nodded, "Six that we have been told about so far, but none of them are confirmed, seven if we include Danny but there could be even more that we don’t know about yet."

"Why didn't anyone know what was happening?" Steve asked in confusion, “Surely one of these disappearances must have been reported!"

"No one was willing to talk, Boss." Kono answered. "Everyone's scared.”

"Everyone's scared?" McGarrett frowned. "Scared of who? The 'Messiah?'"

"The 'Messiah', HPD, us, everyone." Chin shrugged, "Lots of homeless people are scared of being arrested or attacked since the media has been running those stories about homeless people and the crime rate affecting the tourist trade. HPD says there’s been a big increase on assaults and harassment of anyone living on the streets. They have been trying to deal with it but the people living on the street are scared that if they report the assaults there will be reprisals."

"What about this 'Messiah?' What do we know about him?" Steve frowned as he rose from his seat and crossed to the open doors leading out to the lanai, leaning against the open door as he stared out across the palace grounds, waiting for an answer to his question.

"Not much, Steve, only that he refers to himself as the 'Messiah.' He usually trolls the alleys or areas where the homeless are at night and offers them a safe place to stay. Nobody knows who he is or even where he might be possibly staying." Chin sighed, "Even the description of him is pretty slim - tall, thin, long hair, creepy. Everyone we asked was reluctant to say much more than that and nobody was willing to come in and look through the mug books."

"But everyone agrees, Boss, that once someone accepted his offer and had gone with him, they disappeared." Kono added softly.

"Well Danno isn't going to disappear - we are going to find him and this 'Messiah' as well as anyone else that has been connected to Danny's kidnapping. I want to know everything there is to know about this 'Messiah' including how many people connected with him have gone missing. Check missing persons, similar types of disappearances, here and on the mainland, anything that might give us a lead!" Steve ordered as he spun around and glared across at his two detectives.

0)0)0)0)

The sound of the door creaking as it was opened pulled Danny out of his light sleep. His body seemed strangely heavy, unwilling or unable to obey his mind's commands and he fought hard to force his eyes to open to see the dark figure looming in the doorway. The figure paused for a moment, watching him, before silently approaching the side of the bed. Unable to move or even make a sound, Danny flinched internally with fear as the figure's hand slowly reached towards him.

The fingers and palm caressed the side of his face as he heard a familiar voice whisper, "Soon you will learn that I am all that you need and all that you will desire. I am your only hope, your only salvation. I am the only one that matters. No one else cares what happens to you, I am the only one who does. You will soon learn that I am your Savior, your Messiah, the man who can grant you the gift of life or death!"

Danny's heart began to beat faster as the fingers trailed down his face and neck, lightly gliding over the bandages that encircled his chest before stopping at his waist where the light sheet covered him as the voice crooned softly into his ear, "Soon my young friend, you will be mine. I will own you – mind, body and soul." The figure straightened, and the hand returned to his chin, gripping it painfully tight until Danny moaned in response as the voice growled viciously, "And only then will I decide if you are ready find the peace that you so desire."

Danny gasped as his chin was suddenly released and he struggled against the darkness as it began to tug him back into its warm, safe embrace. Soft laughter filled his ears and he again felt the soft intimate caress of fingers upon his face before the figure slowly faded and disappeared.

0)0)0)0)

"The idiots let him get away!" Simons cursed angrily as he slammed down the phone. "They followed him to some rubbish filled alley in Waikiki but there were too many damn witnesses around for them to make a move." Simons growled as he pushed past his cousin and headed into the bedroom. Manny trailed behind but stopped at the door and watched silently as Simon crossed to the small bedside table, snapping the bedside lamp on. He pulled open the bedside table drawer and took out a gun. Tucking it securely into the back of his pants, he turned and grabbed his jacket that was flung across the end of the bed before shouldering into it. Ensuring the weapon was well concealed, he moved to face the younger man. "But before the boys could grab him some bleeding heart, who takes in druggies and gives them a place to stay, found him and took him away. Someone must have recognized Williams and tipped off the cops. Now the alley is swarming with cops, including Five-0 looking for Williams and his 'good Samaritan.'" He continued angrily as he shoved past Manny and re-entered the living room.

"What are you going to do?" Manny asked.

"What am I gunna do?" Simons stopped and turned, staring at his cousin in disbelief, "What do you think I'm gunna do? I'm gunna find Williams and his 'good Samaritan' then I'm gunna make sure that this time Williams tells me precisely what I want to know before I make him disappear permanently. As for the bleeding heart - well when I find him his heart is going to bleed for real. This time there won't be any witnesses left behind to finger me!"

"What about the cops watching you?" Manny reminded his cousin softly. "Or have you forgotten they are sitting in cars just down the road?"

Manny swallowed the moan of agony as Simons placed a hand on his shoulder, the hold tightening painfully as his cousin answered, "Why dear Manny, you're going to keep them distracted for a few minutes while I slip quietly away, aren't you?"

Unable to stop the sob of pain from escaping as his cousin's vice-like grip tightened even more, Manny managed to nod his agreement.

"Good boy! I knew I could count on you!" Simons smiled and released Manny's shoulder before affectionately slapping him on the cheek as he ordered firmly, "Now give me a couple of minutes to get out the back and then go and make sure you have their full attention while I slip away!"

Taking a deep breath to steel his nerves, Manny nodded as he watched his cousin head towards the open back door and slip out into the darkness. He waited a few minutes like Simons had ordered before he turned and slowly crossed to the front door.


	4. Chapter 4

"McGarrett... Mr McGarrett."

Steve hesitated when he reached his car as he heard the soft whisper of his name. He squinted into the dark shadows cast by the trees as he heard the soft familiar call of his name again. "Akeakamai?" he whispered, recognizing the voice of a snitch he had met just a few weeks before.

"Yeah Mr McGarrett, it's me." Akeakamai answered as he edged closer to street light lit parking lot, being careful to stay just in the shadows, "I heard on the coconut wireless that you're looking for the guy who calls himself the 'Messiah.'" The small Hawaiian snitch licked his dry lips as he stepped a little closer, "I'll tell you about him but just not here. I don't wanna be seen." he whispered as his eyes nervously darted around the parking lot.

"Get in." Steve quietly ordered the scared man as he opened the car’s door and slid into the driver's seat closing the door behind him as he placed the key in the ignition and turned it. The sound of the engine smothered the sound of the rear passenger door as it softly closed as Steve guided the Mercury out of the palace grounds. Glancing in the rear vision mirror at the man in the back seat, Steve frowned, “You know the guy who’s calling himself the ‘Messiah’?”

Akeakamai swallowed hard and shook his head as he rose only high enough up on the seat to quickly peek out the window and assure himself that they were not being followed before he settled back down onto the seat.  “Don’t know him, but I know about him, Bruddah,” The small snitch began nervously, his fear evident in his voice as he whispered softly, almost as if he was afraid that someone would over hear him, "I also heard that you’re lookin' for some guy who was last seen with him. If you are than you’re probably looking for a body - not that you’re going to find one - he hides them pretty good. He's had a lot of practice."

"So, I've heard." Steve commented as he glanced again at Akeakamai into the rear vision mirror "We have been told that at least seven men have gone missing in his company."

"Seven?" The Hawaiian laughed bitterly, "More like twelve - thirteen if you count Mad Mikey- but maybe he don't count cause he managed to find his way back – fourteen if you add in the guy that you’re lookin' for now!"

"Fourteen?" Steve stared in disbelief at the snitch in the mirror, forcing his attention back to the road when the terrified man in the back seat nodded. Pulling the car over to the side of the deserted road, Steve turned and faced the man in the back seat as he asked. "You said that one of the missing returned. Where is he? Does he know where he was held? Why didn't anyone report it to the police?"

"Hey I’m telling you, Mikey was pretty messed up in the head when he got back. He was scared of everyone - still is – he's pupule!" Akeakamai paused and swallowed hard as the memory of the night when he had found his battered and bloodied friend hiding behind the dumpster slammed back into his mind. "He panics and tries to hide whenever anyone goes near him. Nobody would believe the things he says that the 'Messiah' did to him! Ain't no way a man would do those kinda things to another man - no way! Mikey's as nutty as a fruitcake. Ain't no way he’s going to be able to help you!"

"Just let me talk to him.” Steve coaxed softly as he tried to push back the fear of being told about the horrors that Danno might be enduring – the same ones that had possibly sent this newly discovered victim insane.

0)0)0)0)

"I still don't think talkin' to Mikey is gunna help any." The small Hawaiian snitch mumbled as he led the lead detective up the back stairs to his rundown apartment. Pausing in front of the faded and splintered wooden door, Akeakamai pushed his key into the lock and jiggled it around as he continued to complain. "I'm tellin' you, Mr McGarrett, Mikey's as nutty as a fruitcake. Ain't no way he's going be able to help. The 'Messiah' really messed with his brain. I don't think Mikey knows what's real and what's not anymore."

"Mikey is the only one who can tell us about this man calling himself the 'Messiah'." Steve explained again. "So far all we have is a very general description and lots of rumors and hearsay about thirteen missing men who have all disappeared in his company. That's not even enough solid evidence to convince the District Attorney that there has even been a crime. And with another man missing - we need all the information we can get, and Mikey is the only person who can tell us what is truly going on and how much danger my officer is in."

All thoughts of opening the door was forgotten as the Hawaiian turned and stared in disbelief at Steve. "You mean the guy that the 'Messiah' has got ain't just another street junkie but a cop? He one of your cops?"

McGarrett nodded, "Yes, Detective Williams is my Second-In-Command. Mikey is the only one who can help us. He's the only one who is able to tell us about the man who is calling himself the 'Messiah.' He's the only one who can give us an accurate description and tell us where he takes his victims. He's our only link to Detective Williams and the other missing men. That's why I need to talk to him Akeakamai. If what you have told me about the men's disappearances is correct, Mikey could be our only hope to find them quickly."

Akeakamai bit his lip in indecision. "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you!" Mikey conceded grudgingly as he opened the door and stepped inside, followed closely by McGarrett. Quickly walking over to the small coffee table, he switched on a lamp as he mumbled an apology to McGarrett that the main light in the room was no longer working.

The bright light from the lamp startled the young battered looking man who had been sleeping on the sofa. Jumping up from where he lay, he whimpered in terror and began to stumble fearfully away from the two men who had just entered the room. "Go away! Go away! Go away! Leave me alone!" he whispered as his back hit the wall and he sank slowly to the ground. "Go…go…go…"

"It's okay, Mikey." Akeakamai soothed, glancing at McGarrett before he slowly stepped closer and reached for the frightened man. "It's just me, Akeakamai, and this is McGarrett. He's Five 0. Remember I told you about him."

The young Hawaiian's face was marred by dark bruises, his wrists were red, raw and weeping, his clothes were ripped, dirty and bloodied and hung on a too thin body but even more disturbing was the haunted look in Mikey's eyes as they darted fearfully from Steve to Akeakamai and back again. "NO! No! No! Don't touch me! Oh God, please leave me alone!" The frightened man's cries tugged at Steve’s heart as Mikey jerked away and huddled in terror, his arms wrapped protectively around his knees that were drawn tightly against his chest. "Please no more, no more!" he begged.

Akeakamai sighed and backed away at his friend's reaction. Turning back towards Steve with tears in his eyes, he whispered. "This is how he acts every time anyone tries to touch him."

"Hey, it’s okay." Steve said gently as he stepped forward and knelt down several feet away from the terrified man, his hands held out away from his sides in an attempt to show that he was not a threat, "No one is going to hurt you, I just want to talk to you."

"Mikey, it’s okay." Akeakamai softly repeated Steve’s soothing words in an attempt to reassure his friend as he moved back to Steve's side and knelt down beside him, "Mr McGarrett just wants to talk to you about what happened when you went with the ‘Messiah’."

"No, no, no!" Mikey violently shook his head, his face whitening in terror as he hugged his legs tighter and began to rock back and forth, "He owns me - mind, body and soul! Mind, body and soul! He owns all of me…all of me. I am his for the taking! I belong to him!"

The whispered words chilled Steve's soul as he remembered Akeakamai's words in the car only a short while before _. ‘Nobody would believe the things he says that the 'Messiah' did to him! Ain't no way a man would do those kinda things to another man - no way!’_

Watching the fearful man huddled only feet away, Steve knew instantly what Mikey had tried to tell Akeakamai had been the truth. Swallowing hard, the urgency to find his Second -In-Command and closest friend was overwhelming and he had to push the horrifying thoughts and half formed images of what Danno might be enduring out of his mind. Forcing himself back into cop mode, he tried concentrate on any clue the traumatized young man might be able to provide about the whereabouts of the suspected mass murderer and his latest potential victim.

"Mikey, listen to me." Akeakamai moved closer, "McGarrett needs you to tell him about the 'Messiah' and what he did to you. It's important, Bruddah! He says that the 'Messiah' has taken someone else. He's tryin' to find the guy."

The tormented young man stopped his rocking and looked towards the two men crouched only feet away as he whispered, "Forget him…forget him… he no longer exists…he's gone… Gone forever… He belongs to the 'Messiah'… No one can help him now...no one cares…"

"You're wrong Mikey," Steve said quietly but firmly as he edged a little closer to the injured and frightened man, "I do care. I care about what happened to you, I care about what happened to the other missing men and I care about what happens to the man who is with the 'Messiah' right now. He is my closest friend and I have no intention of just forgetting him. I am going to find him, and I am going to find the 'Messiah' and make sure he gets punished for everything he has done to you and all the others. But to do that, I need your help. I need to know everything you can tell me about him, his real name, where he took you, what he did to you and how you managed to get away. Can you help me?"

"I can't…I CAN'T…I CAN'T!" The terrified man yelled as he began to rock again, closing his eyes tightly and pressing his hands over his ears as he began to whisper desperately, "I will be punished…I deserve to be punished if I tell …the 'Messiah' will know... He knows everything... Please… Please… I don't want to be punished … Go away… Go away… Just leave me alone! …You don't really care what happens to me… Only the 'Messiah' cares…and only he can give me the peace that I so desire… Oh God… I don't want to die… I don't want to die... Please tell him, I'm not ready to die yet!"

"It's okay Mikey, no one is going to hurt you, I promise, ain't nobody gunna let the 'Messiah' hurt you anymore. I ain't gunna let anyone ever hurt you again." Akeakamai moved forward in an attempt to calm the traumatized young man but Steve grabbed his arm and silently shook his head. Rising to his feet, Steve pulled Akeakamai to his feet as he kept his eyes trained on the sobbing young man huddled on the floor. Pulling his arm free, Akeakamai growled, "I knew I shouldn't have told you about da 'Messiah' and the missin' men. I just wanted someone to know what was happenin.' I just wanted to let someone know what was goin' on. And the only reason anyone, even you, are interested now is 'cause he has your friend!"

"Yes, I want my Second-In_Command back but you're wrong!" Steve stated firmly, grabbing Akeakamai's arm again, "I want to catch this guy before he hurts anyone else whether that's my partner or another homeless person." Holding onto the younger man's arm, Steve added gently, "Listen Akeakamai, you and I both know Mikey needs help. More help either of us can give him. He needs a doctor." Steve nodded towards the torn wrists and the dark bruises that now peeped out from under the young man's shirt. "He needs specialist medical care. Someone who can help him deal with what happened to him. Please let me help him."

The little snitch stopped and stared at his frightened friend before he turned to look back at Steve. Biting his bottom lip, he reluctantly nodded. "Okay, you’re right. He needs a doctor but please also make me a promise, one that I need you to keep."

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"Catch the bastard!" Akeakamai growled as he turned back towards Mikey.

"I will!" McGarrett promised as he reached for Mikey’s arm.

OoOoOoO

Damien continued to lightly caress Danny's face long after the young man's eyes had drifted closed and he lost his battle to stay awake. He loved these quiet moments almost as much as he loved to see them struggle or hear their screams. They always fought him at first, trying hard to resist him but eventually they always surrendered, accepting him as their Savior - their only hope of finding the blessed peace that they all begged for in the end. This one would be no different. He would own him - mind, body and soul. His fingers trailed over the moonlit dark bruises that marred his latest disciple’s cheekbone and jaw before gliding down the young man's neck as he stared at face of the man whom he would soon make worship him.

A loud angry growl escaped his throat as the face he studied morphed into the face of another - the only one who had managed to escape. His fingers encircled the tender throat beneath his hand and he began to squeeze, tightening his grip relentlessly as his anger swelled. No, this time his new disciple would not be given the chance to disobey him or leave the haven that he had so carefully created. This one would soon learn that he was the 'Messiah,' that he was to be obeyed!

The soft, choked gasps and weak struggles of the drugged man on the bed finally caught his attention and he found himself staring at the blue tinged face of the young man he had rescued from the streets only a few short hours ago. He quickly released his death grip, allowing his hands to drop harmlessly to his side as he watched as his victim weakly gasp for breath, trying to draw air into oxygen starved lungs. "Soon!" he whispered to the man on the bed, "Soon you will begin to learn that I am the only one - the only one who will matter. I  _am_  the 'Messiah!’"

He turned and walked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him before locking it securely.

OoOoOoOoO

Rubbing a hand over his face, Steve McGarrett leaned against the white wall as he waited for information on the condition of the young man now being examined by the doctors. His mind drifted back to the chaotic scene that had happened less than an hour before in the apartment when the ambulance attendants had arrived to transport Mikey to the hospital. The terrified and mentally unstable young man had panicked and had become extremely combative, struggling and fighting with anyone who came close to him. His terror and tears were heart wrenching and the stand-off only ended after he was physically subdued and then sedated by an attending physician who had been summoned to the scene.

"Mr McGarrett?"  The doctor’s soft behest of his name pulled him back to the present and he turned to face the physician as the doctor walked down the corridor towards him, nodding towards the small waiting room door just across the corridor.

He followed the doctor into the waiting room and settled onto one of the hard plastic chairs. "Doc?"

The doctor loudly cleared his throat and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he clasped his hands together and began his report. "I'm afraid that Mr Smythe is suffering from a complete mental breakdown. He is exhibiting symptoms of extreme paranoia and excessive fear. We had to heavily sedate him before we could even begin our physical examination.

The examination revealed signs that he has been tortured. He has suffered severe bruising to over seventy percent of his body, several broken ribs on both sides of his rib cage, frontal and posterior - probably the result of being repeatedly hit and kicked. He also has multiple infected contusions across his back that I suspect were caused by him being caned. Injuries to both his wrists are indicative that his hands were bound by rope." The doctor paused and looked away, struggling to maintain his professional facade before he continued with the horrors that he had discovered during the examination. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to look back at the waiting detective as he continued more softly. "We also found injuries of severe sexual abuse."

"You mean he was raped?"

"I'm afraid so." Dr. Holland answered quietly. "I have already sent his clothing to your forensic lab for testing. Unfortunately, we were unable to collect any evidence from the rape kit but I have sent the swabs to be tested anyway…you never know…"

A cold chill settled over Steve's soul as his thoughts wandered back to Danno. Forcing his thoughts back to the sedated young man who had the much-needed answers to his desperate questions, he asked. "When can I speak with him?"

The young doctor sighed and shook his head, rising from his seat, as he answered, "Not tonight, he is currently heavily sedated and will remain so until we can re-assess his mental state tomorrow."

"But doctor, he is the only one who can tell me…" Steve objected as he rose from his own chair and followed the doctor from the room.

"I'm afraid tonight he is unable to tell you anything. He's heavily sedated," The doctor reiterated firmly as he reached the examination room door, "Now if you would excuse me, I have to get back to my patient." He announced as the door closed behind him, leaving the dark-haired detective alone in the corridor outside.

"Steve!" McGarrett turned as Chin hurried towards him. “I heard we may have one of the ‘Messiah’s victims.”

"We do," McGarrett answered succinctly, glancing down the corridor towards the closed examination room door before he added, "but unfortunately he's in no shape to talk to us at the moment. What have you got?"

”We had no luck on the streets, everyone is too scared to talk but after I returned to the office I checked for any similar M.O's of disappearances connected to anyone who called themselves 'The Messiah' on the mainland."

Steve paused and turned to study Chin as he asked, "And?"

"There have been over seventy–five reported missing person cases across the mainland, all homeless people who were last seen in the company of a man who called himself 'The Messiah.’" Chin answered as he glanced around to ensure that they were alone before he continued, "The FBI became involved in the investigation and believe they have identified a potential suspect – Damien Rodgers - but he disappeared about six months ago. They are wiring us a photo of the suspect and all the information they have managed to collect on him.

According to the FBI agent that I spoke to Rodgers escaped from a secure psychiatric facility where he was committed after pleading insanity in a homicide case. He slowly and methodically tortured a man to death. The chances of any of his victims alive..."

"Are slim." Steve finished Chin’s sentence.

OoOoOoO

Hesitating for only a brief moment, Damien turned and rechecked that he had securely locked the bedroom door before he turned and hurried across the small kitchen to the locked door opposite. Reaching into his pocket, he quickly removed a small key and inserted it into the lock. He was trembling with excitement as he unlocked and opened the door, flicking on the light switch before he descended carefully down the steps into the damp basement. A small smile flickered across his lips as he paused and stared around the tiny room that would soon become his young guest's world. The smile broadened into a wide grin as he began to slowly walk around the basement, allowing his fingers to glide along the bloodstained ropes, bamboo canes and knotted leather whips that he used to punish the unbelievers. They all needed to be punished in the beginning. They all needed to learn that he was their savior.

The grin morphed into an evil smile as he stopped and stared at the bloodstained mattress in the corner – it was his job as the ‘Messiah’ to save the non-believing heretics. But before that could happen, they all needed to be broken down, made less than human. They needed to be made to scream and beg to cleanse their souls of filth – and he knew just how to do it.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Walking backwards down the street, Terry Loward ignored the mutters and curses of the people who had to dodge around him as he watched the police activity surrounding the opening of the alley which he called home with fascination. He had lingered close enough to overhear snippets of the police officers' whispered conversations about a missing detective last being seen near the alley in the company of the 'Messiah' before he was told gruffly by the officers to move on. Terry shook his head and grimaced, his eyes clued to the scene as he continued to slowly back away - any homeless person could tell the cops if they bothered to ask that they were wasting their time. The missing detective was a dead guy.

A small cry of surprise slipped past his lips as he was suddenly grabbed and pulled violently into the dark stairwell of one of the run-down hotels before he was slammed roughly face first against the hard wooden wall. An arm snaked tightly around his throat. "Make a sound and you're a dead man!" The soft chilling threat breathed into his ear warned. It emphasized by the cold steel press of a small gun barrel against his spine.

"What…what do you want?" The small greasy haired drug addict stuttered, "If its money or drugs, Bruddah, you got the wrong man…I ain't got none! I…I ain't been able to score in days!"

"It's not ya money or drugs I want! It's information. Information that I know ya gunna give me!" The icy voice growled softly as Terry felt the gun press harder into his back. "Ya gunna tell me everything ya know about this bleedin' heart who calls himself the 'Messiah' and where he takes the druggies who go with him!"

"I…I don't know…" Terry whimpered, swallowing hard as he felt the arm tighten against his neck, making it even harder to breathe.

"Ya better know!" The sinister demand sent a shiver through the smaller man's body as the gunman continued, "Cause if ya don't tell me what I want to hear in the next three seconds ya gunna be fish food and I hear the sharks can be real hungry!"

"I…I don't know where the 'Messiah' lives or where he takes his victims. All I know Bruddah is whoever goes with him is never seen again… No-one… No-one, Bruddah… except for Mad Mikey."

"Mad Mikey?"

Terry swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah, he went with the 'Messiah' a few weeks ago but he somehow got away."

"Where is he now?"

The young man whimpered as the gun pressed harder against his spine. Gasping in pain, he managed to answer, "Akeakamai Huupa. He's staying with Akeakamai Huupa. Akeakamai found him hiding behind some dumpster near where he lives."

An irritated sigh warned Terry that his attacker was growing low in patience as the arm around his throat tightened even further before the voice growled impatiently, "Where does this Akeakamai Huupa live?"

"In...in a hotel on Alakea Street but he… he ain't there now!" Terry managed to whisper.

"Then where the hell is he?" The voice demanded.

"McGarrett…word on the coconut wireless is that McGarrett took him and Mad Mikey away. Took ‘em to..." Terry grimaced as he felt the gun dig deeper, "He took 'em to the hospital…Queens Hospital…I think!"

"That's all I need to know." The voice soothed gently, and Terry released a breath of relief as the arm encircling his neck loosened, but it was only momentary. A small pop and an intense fiery pain were the only warnings he received before his world disappeared as his body was dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

Placing the gun back into the waistband of his pants, Simons smiled as he stepped over the bloodied body of his victim. "Thanks for the information!" he grinned before he casually stepped out onto the street, walking away from the doorway and the officers guarding the alleyway not far from there.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Staring at the file on his desk, Steve studied the photo of Damien Rodgers who was seemingly better known by the homeless people living on the streets not only in Hawaii but also on the mainland as the 'Messiah'. The ice-cold stare of the man's eyes sent an involuntary shiver through Steve's soul. Forcing himself to look away from the dark, almost hypnotic, eyes that stared out at him from the page, he listened as Chin began to read the information on Damien Rodgers that had just been sent by the FBI as Kono entered the office and quietly joined them.

"Damien Rodgers – 46 years of age, born and raised in Washington, an only child. Was employed as an accountant at a Washington firm called J.R's Accounting for twenty- three years - from 1948 until September last year when he was arrested and convicted of the kidnapping, torture and murder of an unidentified homeless man in Washington. The victim was slowly tortured to death and there was evidence that the victim had been sexually assaulted. Rodgers pleaded guilty by reason of insanity and was sentenced to spend his life in a secure psychiatric facility. He remained there for three months until he escaped last Christmas Eve…"

Chin paused as Steve’s phone rang. Picking up the phone with an annoyed sigh, McGarrett snapped, "McGarrett!" He paused for a moment as he listened to the caller before he thanked them and slammed the phone down and turned looked up at Chin, ordering, “Switch on the late-night news.”

Chin quickly crossed to the small television in the corner of the office and turned it on to find himself staring at a photo of Danny on the screen. The picture changed to the female TV presenter who was standing at the opening of the alleyway where Danny had last been seen as she announced excitedly. "Witnesses have told us that Detective Williams looked disheveled and ill when he left the alleyway in the company of the man that they refer to as the 'Messiah'. We have unconfirmed reports that the 'Messiah' has been linked to the disappearances and possible murders of several homeless men in Honolulu over the last several months although the Honolulu Police Department has denied any knowledge of the disappearances. This reporter has been told by a reliable source that the police were informed of the disappearances and a description of the 'Messiah' has been given to police."

Running a hand over his face as he stared at the television in disbelief, Steve murmured, “How the hell did they find out?”

Chin shrugged wordlessly as he continued to watch as the pretty newsreader flicked back a long strand of her black hair and another photo of Danny flickered onto the screen behind her. “Detective Williams, a member of the Hawaii’s elite police unit, Hawaii Five-O, disappeared a week ago during the arrest of prominent businessman Mark Simons.”

“What the Hell does she think she is doing?" Chin muttered in frustration as the reporter tried to hide her obvious excitement on reporting what she believed to be an exclusive news scoop.

"We will keep our viewers updated on any new developments in the disappearance of Detective Danny Williams," she smiled sweetly into the camera as Chin hit the off button on the television in disgust before he turned back towards Steve.

"Does she even realize what she has just done?" Steve growled angrily as he began to pace. "If Danny has gone off with this nut, Rodgers, and Rodgers sees that news report …" His words trailed off at the mere thought of the repercussions for his aikane before he turned back to the two detectives silently watching him. “I’m going to find out who the Hell leaked the story to the media and then I’m going to have another talk with Akeakamai. Kono get an APB out on Rodgers and get his photo to every police officer on the islands.”

“On it, Boss.” Kono answered as he rose from his seat and hurried out of the room.

“Chin, get back in contact with the FBI. Talk to the lead agent that handled Rodgers’ case on the mainland. We need to know every intimate detail of the case and of Rodgers, even if we have to bring the agent to Hawaii to do so!” Steve ordered as he followed Kono out of the office.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Stepping back into the living room, Damien carefully closed the basement door. Humming to himself, he crossed across the room and turned on the television, freezing in shock as the picture of his newest guest flashed in front of him on the screen. He listened in disbelief as the news reporter announced that the sleeping man in the next room was not some unwanted piece of human garbage but was in fact a Five-O detective. A small ripple of excitement and fear rippled through his body as the news presenter reported that Williams had last been seen in the company of a man called the 'Messiah'.

Damien swore and turned away from the TV, no longer interested in what else the young reporter had to say as he turned and hurried across to the locked bedroom door.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Stepping out of the elevator into the hushed corridor, Simons adjusted the stethoscope he had hanging around his neck as he covertly glanced around, checking that his presence at this late hour of the night did not draw any unwanted attention from the nursing staff. Satisfied that the nurses were paying no attention to the 'doctor' who had just entered their ward, he smiled as he wandered down the corridor towards the room where he knew his only link to Williams and the bleeding heart who called himself the 'Messiah' now rested.

It had been easy to find a doctor's office and steal the doctor's coat and stethoscope that he was now wearing, easier still dressed as a doctor to find out from the sleepy night admission nurse which hospital room Mikey Symthe now rested. The nurse had been chatty enough, after being charmed, to tell him that although Mikey was the victim of some type of crime, he had not needed police protection.

Locating the room he had been searching for, Simons hesitated for a moment as he again glanced around; ensuring nobody was watching as he opened the door and slipped inside. Closing the door behind him firmly Simons quickly crossed the dimly lit room. Reaching the edge of the bed, he covered the mouth of the sleeping man with his hand, hissing a soft demand to shut up and stop struggling as Mikey woke and tried to pull away in fear.

The hissed demand turned into an angry growl as Simons' other hand encircled the throat of the terrified man, tightening until the soft muffled whimpers against his hand turned into choked smothered gasps. "Listen to me Symthe, if you want to live, shut up and answer some questions about the 'Messiah' for me."

The mere mention of the Messiah caused Mikey to struggle more violently, his fear of the 'Messiah' much greater than his fear of this stranger who was pinning him to the bed. Simons' hands slipped from the young man's mouth and throat as Mikey pulled free and stared wide eyed in fear up at him and begged. "Please, don't take me back! Please don't let him get me! He wants to own my soul!"

Simons frowned at the young man's reaction and then slowly smiled as he realized Symthe feared the do –gooder more than him. Using the new-found knowledge to his full advantage, he grabbed both of Mikey's arms and pinned him to be bed as he lowered his face closer to Mikey's and softly whispered, "I know that you went with him, so you know where he lives. Tell me where he is! "

"No! No, I can't! If I do, he will find me!" Mikey whimpered hysterically.

Squeezing the arms he held against the bed until Mikey gasped in agony, Simons growled viciously, "If you don't then when I do find him I will make sure he knows where he can find you."

"No, please you don't understand!" Mikey cried as he rolled his head from side to side, "He owns me – he owns my mind and my body and now he wants my soul …"

Pulling the young man up by painfully by his arms, Simons shook him violently, "I don't care if you think he owns the whole damn world. Let me warn you anything he has done to you – I can do worse and I will if you don't damn well tell me where the Hell he is!"

The terrified young man just shook his head in reply as his cries faded into whispers, "No, no please - please don't tell him where I am! Don't let him touch me. Please…"

"Tell me where he is!" Simons' quiet growl grew into an angry snarl as he released the young man's arms, allowing him to drop back heavily against the bed before he grabbed the Mikey's throat with both hands and began to squeeze. "Where did he take you? Tell me where he lives!" He demanded as he tightened his hands even tighter, ignoring the weak struggles of the man in the bed. "Damn it, you piece of garbage, tell me where the do- gooder who calls himself the damn 'Messiah' lives!" He demanded louder as he continued to squeeze. "Tell me where he has taken Williams! Tell me!" he growled as the young man slowly stopped fighting and went limp.

"Tell me!" Simons growled in frustration as he realized that he would no longer get the answers that he wanted. Mikey Symthe was dead! With a disgusted snarl, he released the young man's throat and stared at the blue tinged face. His only link to the 'Messiah' and Williams was gone. Or was it?

He smiled and hurried towards the door, straightening the doctor's coat before he opened it and stepped out into the corridor, closing the door firmly behind him. Mad Mikey might be dead but Akeakamai Huupa was still alive and he was the one that Mad Mikey had run to after his escape from the 'Messiah'. Simons laughed quietly as he reached the elevator and stabbed the button; Williams had not yet slipped from his reach!

OoOoOoOoOoO

Pulled abruptly from his deep, drugged sleep by the sudden agony that flared through his chest, Danny had no time to understand what was happening as he heard a voice growl, "It's time to learn that no one else cares what about happens to you. It's time for you to learn that I am the only one who matters.” as he was bodily pulled from the bed and thrown violently across the room. He was unable to even gasp as the breath was knocked out of him and his body and head slammed hard against the wall before he tumbled heavily onto the carpeted floor. He desperately tried to fight the darkness that threatened to claim him. Curling instinctively into a fetal position as he clutched at his aching ribs, Danny watched through half shuttered eyes as a dark figure approached him.

Trying to think past his pain confusion and fear, Danny remained motionless as his attacker drew nearer. He waited until the figure loomed above him, determined not to show that he was even conscious as the figure leaned down and reached for him. Ignoring the agonizing pain of his battered body, the sandy haired detective suddenly kicked out, knocking his attacker's legs out from under him, causing the man to curse and grab his injured knee as he crashed to the ground. Rolling over onto his own knees, Danny pushed himself up onto his unsteady feet as he attempted to escape towards the open door. He had only managed to take a couple of steps before he was tackled hard from behind and slammed back onto the ground.

The room spun wildly around Danny as he was rolled roughly onto his back and pulled up by one arm into a sitting position. He swallowed the nausea that burned the back of his throat as he tried desperately to get back his equilibrium as black spots danced in his vision. The grip on his arm grew tighter as the familiar face of his rescuer slowly came into focus close to his own face. "I am your Messiah!" Damien snarled a moment before his fist connected with Danny’s jaw, snapping Danny’s head back as Danny lost his tenuous grip on consciousness.

Releasing his victim's arm, Damien allowed him to fall back heavily onto the floor before rising. He groaned as his knee where he had been kicked protested at the movement. Aware this time he wouldn't have the luxury of time to break his disciple slowly, he gently rubbed the injured joint, trying to massage some of the pain away before he reached down and grabbed the unconscious man under the arms. He awkwardly pulled the limp detective out of the room and across the living room towards the door leading to the basement. He smiled as he carefully maneuvered himself and his burden down the stairs. He liked it when they fought. It made it more exciting, more rewarding when they finally broke and this one he promised himself would the most fun to break! He licked his lips in excitement – soon he would own this one's mind, body and soul. Tonight, Detective Danny Williams would begin his lessons about who was the true "Messiah".


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey, what do you think are you doing? You can't go in there!"

Pulling out his badge, Steve held it up for the security guard to see as he pushed the guard out of his way and slammed open the news producer's office door. He paused a moment when he discovered the office empty before he turned around to face the grinning guard. Glaring at the guard, he growled as he headed back towards the front door, "Tell him I will be back in the morning!"

Reaching his car, Steve only had enough time to open the Mercury’s door when the radio crackled to life. Snatching up the mic, McGarrett depressed the button as he snapped, “McGarrett. He listened as dispatch informed him they were patching through Detective Kelly before he heard the familiar click as the patch went through. Turning to look at the dark building from which he had just exited, he asked, without waiting for his detective to speak, "What have you got, Chin?"

_"Trouble, Bruddah! The phone tap on Simons' phone has picked up an interesting conversation. Simons made a phone call earlier tonight to Adrian Hodges about a missing puppy."_

Frowning, Steve stopped and frowned in confusion as he asked. "A puppy?"

_"Yeah, and the most interesting part of the conversation was that the puppy was last seen in the same alley where Danny disappeared from with the 'Messiah.' Hodges told Simons that the puppy was seen being led away by a Good Samaritan."_

"Where's Simons now?" Steve asked.

He heard Chin sigh before his Chinese detective answered slowly. _"Don't know, Steve. HPD lost him."_

"Lost him? How? I thought they were watching the house?"

_"They were, but his cousin was visiting when the phone call was made. The cousin left a few minutes later and distracted the guys when he suddenly collapsed on the footpath. While they were checking him, Simons must have slipped out of the back door. It was dark, and no one saw him leave."_

"Damn!" Steve cursed as he slipped inside the car and started the engine. "It sounds like Simons is looking for Danny. If he found out that Danny is with the 'Messiah'… Then he might also find out that Mickey is the only link we have. I want you to get over to Queens, Chin. If Simons does find out about Mickey, he might try and find out where the 'Messiah' has taken Danny. Get Kono to pick up Akeakamai. I want him taken back to the office, maybe he can remember something more that Mikey might have told him."

 _"Will do, Steve."_ Chin answered.

"If you need me, I'll be at HPD. I'm going to have a chat with Simons' cousin." Steve growled before he disconnected the call.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Sitting in the darkness of his rundown apartment, Akeakamai ran his hand through his thin greasy hair wondering if allowing McGarrett to take Mickey to the hospital had been the right thing to do. He knew that Mickey needed more help than he could give him, but he had made a solemn promise to the terrified man to hide and protect him from the man that he feared. He sighed and reached for the half-full bottle of cheap wine, taking a large swig in an attempt to drown his guilt. He silently reassured himself that Mickey was in the best hands - McGarrett would never allow any harm to come to his young friend. Taking another sip of the sour alcohol, Akeakamai winced as it burned the back of his throat, nodding drunkenly to the empty room as he slurred. "Yeah, yeah, I did the right thing, Bruddah. McGarrett ain't gunna let the 'Messiah' get near Mickey again!"

Lifting the bottle back up to his lips, the diminutive man took another sip but spilled some in surprise when someone suddenly began to thump impatiently on his apartment door. He slammed the bottle back down onto the stained coffee table, cursing as he lurched unsteadily out of the chair and stumbled to the door, yelling at his unexpected visitor through the closed door to stop making so much noise as he fumbled with the locks.

Opening the door, he had no time to react as he was grabbed and thrown across the room, colliding with the coffee table painfully before landing heavily on the floor. Blinking up at the figure that entered, his breath caught in his throat as the tall, muscular figure slowly came more clearly into focus. Simons! Word on the coconut wireless was that the businessman was responsible for several murders and that the life expectancy of anyone who crossed diminished substantially. Swallowing hard, Akeakamai struggled to sit upright as he stuttered nervously, "Mr… Mr Simons… What…what can I do for you?"

"Tell me where I can find the 'Messiah.'" Simons ordered as he reached down to grab the front of Akeakamai shirt, pulling the drunken man roughly to his feet.

"I…I don't know." Akeakamai whimpered as he was lifted up onto his toes.

"Don't give me that!" Simons growled as he lifted the smaller man off his feet and dangled him several inches above the ground. "I know you hid Smythe here after he ran into the weirdo, so tell me where Smythe told you he had been!"

"I don't know! Honest, Mr. Simons." the smaller man cried as he struggled uselessly to get free from the other man's grip. He was forced to continue when the grip on his shirt got even tighter. "Mickey was crazy! Out of his head! He couldn't tell me anything except that he was held in a beach shack. I had the impression it was somewhere on the North Shore."

Shaking the frightened man roughly and eliciting a cry of pain, Simons demanded. "You better do better than that! Tell me where he is!"

"Honest, I don't know!" Akeakamai squealed as he was violently shaken. "Mickey will be able to tell you. He's a patient at Queens Hospital! All I could figure out was he musta been held somewhere on the North Shore!"

"Smythe ain't gunna be telling anyone anything anymore!" Simons roared as he suddenly shoved the barrel of a gun painfully beneath the dangling man's chin. "So you better tell me more or you will be as dead as your crazy friend!"

"Somewhere around Sunset Beach I think…" Akeakamai gasped, wincing in pain as the cold metal dug into his tender flesh, forcing his head back at an unnatural angle. "Some kind of an isolated beach house right on the sand…"

"What else?" The taller man growled as he pushed the gun more forcibly up under his terrified victim's chin.

"I swear that's all I know." Akeakamai sobbed.

"Do the cops know?" Simons demanded.

Attempting to shake his head, Akeakamai whispered. "I didn't tell them everything I knew. I don't want to give the 'Messiah' an excuse to come after me - not after what Mickey said he did! Ain't no way I was gunna risk that!"

Removing the gun from beneath Akeakamai's chin, Simons lowered him to the ground until the smaller man stood unsteadily on his own feet. "Thank you, Bruddah!" Simons thanked cheerfully as he carefully smoothed the wrinkles from the terrified man's shirt, "You have been very helpful - you deserve a small reward."

Releasing his breath, Akeakamai gave a weak smile as the older man took a step backwards. The Hawaiian was uncertain of what the businessman had planned but as Simons raised the gun to arm level, the smile faded to be replaced by horror when he realized what was going to happen. The loud crack of gunshot was the only warning Akeakamai had before agony erupted and darkness overwhelmed him quickly before he even had a chance to scream.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Pain!

It was everywhere - his head, face, back and chest all demanded his attention and the agonizing pain only increased in intensity as his awareness returned. It felt like every single nerve ending had been set on fire. If he didn't get reprieve from the pain, he could very well go mad. Danny immediately wished he had remained in the darkness from which he had just emerged as each second of consciousness prolonged the excruciating agony.

Trying to concentrate beyond the pain, he slowly become aware that he was hanging by his arms as his feet dangled just above the floor. His wrists, arms and shoulders screamed in protest as they supported the full weight of his body. Even more disturbingly, he was also now aware of the sensation of a hand lightly caressing the side of his bruised and swollen face before it traveled down the side of his neck to brush and linger across his upper chest.

"I see that you are finally awake," Damien softly breathed as he watched his victim's eyes snap open in confusion. The 'Messiah' felt the familiar rush of excitement and smiled as he saw a small flicker of fear in his disciple's eyes as he allowed his fingers to dip under the top edges of the bandages that encircled the detective's chest. As his fingers brushed across the small brown nipple that was hidden beneath, Damien chuckled when he felt Danny jerk involuntarily and tried to move away. "Soon you will be begging me to touch you. They all do in the end but alas, our fun will have to wait."

"Go to hell!" Danny gasped as he struggled to get free.

Taking a step away, the smile on Damien's face faded as he raised his fist and punched his hanging victim's abdomen, "But first you need to be punished for your deceitful ways!" He ignored the pain-filled gasp from his victim as he turned and grabbed a pair of rusty scissors that were sitting on the table near the wall. Returning his attention to Danny, he opened the scissors and viciously jabbed one of the blades beneath the tightly bound bandages, growling as he began to roughly cut through the thick material and sliced through the detective's heavily bruised skin. "So, you can't remember who you are, Detective Williams? You and your boss probably thought that you were being so clever in trying to set me up. I bet your disappearance a week ago was all just part of the sting. You had me fooled by the bruises. Your dedication to the job is unrivaled to say the least, or was that something the FBI suggested you do to try and trick me?"

Unable to stop himself from crying out in pain as the scissors dug into his skin with each snip, Danny tried to make sense out of what was happening - was he really a cop? A detective? The question quickly fluttered through his mind and was quickly forgotten as the bandages supporting his aching ribs dropped away and he watched his tormentor fearfully as Damien stepped back and continued his angry rant.

"You really thought you could fool me, win my sympathy with your act, didn't you? You obviously don't realize just who I am or how I hold your life and soul in my hands!" Damien yelled, his face growing red as anger boiled over into fury. "I am your 'Messiah'! I own your mind, body and your soul. You belong to me!"

Danny watched, wide eyed in horror, as his once rescuer - now tormentor - turned and picked up what appeared to be some sort of whip from the floor near his feet. "I…I don't know what you are talking about." Danny gasped as he tried to turn his head and maintain his gaze on his tormentor as Damien slowly walked behind him and raised the whip.


	8. Chapter 8

Knocking on Akeakamai Huupa's door, Kono frowned as he thought he heard a soft moan coming from within the apartment. He hesitated a moment, listening closely, before a second low pain filled moan told him he had not imagined the sound. Drawing his gun, he raised his foot and with one sharp kick, the flimsy door flew open. Crouched low with his gun ready for any trouble that might be lurking within, Kono edged forward into the tiny apartment casting a quick glance towards Akeakamai, who was lying on the floor in the middle of the room whimpering as his hand clutched at his bloody chest, before he began to search the apartment.

Moving quickly but cautiously, the Five-O detective checked both the small bedroom and bathroom, satisfying himself that Akeakamai's attacker had fled and the apartment was secure before he quickly turned and hurried across to the injured man and crouched down. Gently lifting Akeakamai's hand from his chest, Kono carefully unbuttoned the small Hawaiian snitch's shirt and looked at the bloody wound beneath. Grabbing his handkerchief from his pocket, he pressed the clean material onto the wound, murmuring a soft apology as Akeakamai gasped in pain.

Reaching for the phone laying on the floor beside them, Kono was stopped making a call for help as Akeakamai weakly grabbed his sleeve. "Don't…don't bother...," Akeakamai whispered, "Ain't gunna...do me no…good. I know…I'm dyin'."

"I'm going to get some you some help, Bruddah!" Kono tried to reassure the critically injured man, "Just hold on."

Akeakamai shook his head before he choked on a cough, blood flecking his lips as he gasped for breath. Holding tightly to Kono's shirt sleeve, he struggled to speak again, "Listen," he whispered as he drew in a small breath, " Si..Simons is…looking for…the 'Messiah'. Could…could be…looking for Wil…Williams."

"Why do you think Simons is looking for Williams?" Kono asked the dying man.

"Word…word on the street is…Simons …had Williams…but…but… Williams got away." Akeakamai gasped, his grip on Kono's sleeve tightening in desperation as he felt himself beginning to slip away. "Thought I could…save myself…Told…told Simons where …Mickey told…me the 'Messiah'…had …had taken him."

"Where?" Kono asked, acutely aware that he should be getting the wounded man medical help and not questioning him.

"Somewhere on...the North Shore...Sunset …Beach…I think," Akeakamai breathed as his eyes slid closed, "Isolated…shack…on…on the beach…" Opening his eyes, he stared up at Kono coherently as tears began to trickle down the sides of his face, "Simons killed… Mickey… I promised…to keep him safe…I...I promised…him…" Akeakamai's broken-hearted whispered trailed away as his head rolled to the side and his body went limp.

Placing his fingers on the side of Akeakamai's neck, Kono sighed and placed his hand over the small man's eyes, closing them gently, before he reached for the phone and called for assistance.

 OoOoOoO

"You need to be punished for your disrespect and deceit!" Damien shouted as he brought the whip down hard, enjoying his victim's cry of pain as the leather strip cracked like lighting, cutting deeply into the tender skin. "I am the 'Messiah!' Your Savior! The one who owns you - I own your mind, body and soul!" His voice rose to an ear-piercing screech as the whip rose and fell, slicing and bruising his victim's back with each vicious stroke as Danny's body jerked and swung uncontrollably with each agonizing hit as Damien's words echoed in his ears. "I am the 'Messiah'! Your 'Messiah'!"

Danny's cries of agony were drowned out by Damien's screaming rant and the sound of the whip as it struck him over and over again.

Breathing heavily from the exertion of inflicting his punishment, Damien allowed the whip to drop from his hand as he fell silent and stared at the bloodied and bruised back of his now sobbing victim. The temptation to gently dip his finger into the one of the many small streams of blood that trailed down his disciple's back was too great to ignore. He gave into the impulse, quickly dipping his finger before placing the bloody digit into his mouth. Damien relished the coppery taste of his victim's blood – there was just something about whipping that made it all the sweeter!

OoOoOoOoO

Mark Simons growled in frustration as he slowed his car and stared at another darkened beach house as he drove by; aware that somewhere in one of these small beach shacks was the man he was searching for. Pressing his foot harder on the accelerator, he knew at the moment there was nothing more that he could do but find somewhere where he could park unseen and wait. In a couple of hours the sun would rise and the long haired surfers would come out to play. He smiled to himself as one hand reached down and caressed the gun tugged into his waistband, a little money and if that didn't work then some firm persuasion and one of them was bound to talk. Soon he would have Williams back and this time he would force the cop to tell him what he wanted to know before he disposed of him. The smile grew broader as he decided - but not before he made the damn bleeding- heart idiot who called himself the 'Messiah' regret sticking his nose into someone else's business!

 


	9. Chapter 9

Pulling closed the interview room door behind him, Steve hurried out of HPD, the need to find Danny as fast as possible was overwhelming after everything that Manny Harris had just told him.

 The upset man claimed that he had not been aware of his cousin's involvement in Danny's disappearance until yesterday after the strange message he had been asked to deliver by Adrian Lomear to his cousin about the missing puppy. It was only then he told Steve that he had become aware of his cousin's involvement in the Five-O detective's disappearance. Manny rushed on, telling Steve how his cousin had found out from Lomear about the 'Messiah' assisting Danny after the detective had escaped and how Simons had forced him to distract the surveillance team while his cousin left to search for Williams and the 'bleeding heart'.

He had been able to provide Steve with the names of several people whom he believed would have been most likely to assist his cousin in kidnapping Danny and had gone on to tell the lead detective about a strange request Simons had made just days before Danny had disappeared. His cousin had asked if he would be able to provide him with several vials of insulin.

Manny admitted that his cousin terrified him, so he had reluctantly agreed to steal the wanted medication from the pharmacy where he was the head Pharmacist. Dropping his head, he had gone on to explain that he had covered up the theft of the insulin by marking in the books that the vials had accidentally been broken just after delivery and disposed of. He tearfully claimed that it was the only time he had ever done something like that.

When pushed by Steve as to why his cousin would want the insulin, Manny’s answer chilled Steve to his very soul. Manny explained that Simons believed that insulin, combined with beatings and sleep deprivation could be used as a primitive form of brainwashing.

Manny told Steve that he although he did not know whom Simons intended to try and brainwash or why, but he had tried hard to warn his cousin how foolish and dangerous attempting something like brainwashing was.

Running his hand over his face as he reached his car, Steve had no doubts about Simons just who intended use his primitive brainwashing on. The ruthless businessman was desperate to find out just what Five-O had uncovered about his business dealing and his involvement in the murders of the senator and his wife. If his theory was correct, then another piece of the puzzle just slid into place but first he needed to find Danno, and he needed to find Danno fast before Simons did.

OoOoOoOoO

The pain was so intense, Danny was unable to find the breath to scream as he struggled against the ropes that held him tight, unable to even find his feet as he swung and twisted in the air. He held his breath in fear as he suddenly felt an icy cold hand grab his shoulder to stop his uncontrollable spinning and he was turned to face his grinning tormentor. He was unable to pull away as the man who insisted that he was the 'Messiah', placed a bony hand behind his head, holding his head still before suddenly kissing him roughly on the lips.

Releasing his newest 'follower', the 'Messiah' laughed when he saw the detective's eyes open wide as he pulled the knife he had hidden beneath his shirt. Reaching above Danny's head, he began to saw through the ropes that bound his victim's wrists together as he whispered, "You are mine. I own your mind, your body and your soul."

Unable to stop the cry of pain as he dropped heavily to the ground, the detective fought to remain conscious as Damien's shadow fell over him. His body screamed in protest at the rough treatment, refusing to obey his mind's screams to fight and he found himself helpless as his tormentor leaned down and picked him up off the ground. He was carried across the room before being lowered back down onto an old foam mattress in the corner of the room. The sickening odour of blood, sweat and something else that he couldn't quite place was almost overwhelming but was soon forgotten as his tormentor knelt down beside him.

"You are mine!" Damien whispered again excitedly as he settled down beside his captive and began to gently caress the side of Danny's face "Mine to own your mind," he breathed softly as he allowed his fingers to glide down his victim's throat and across the dark bruises now covered most of Danny's chest. "Mine to own your body …” he murmured as he lowered his face and kissed Danny's warm skin, “and finally your soul!"

"You're insane!" Danny managed to growl as he gritted his teeth against the pain and raising one of his arms attempted to push Damien away. "You're crazy... if you think I am... going to let you touch me... willingly!"

Grabbing the detective's arm, Damien laughed as he sat up and forced it back onto the filthy mattress. "I didn't say that you had to be willing the first time I claimed your body, but I do promise that before I claim your soul you will be willing to do anything I say!" he grinned wolfishly as he grabbed Dan's other arm and pinned him to the mattress.

"Never!" The intensity of the word was only matched by the adrenaline that surged through Danny's body as he used all his strength to shove the madman off him.

Taken by surprise, Damien fell backwards, striking the back of his head against the hard cement floor, stunning him momentarily as his victim rose unsteadily to his feet and stumbled towards the door.

Damien screeched as he rose from the floor and lunged at Danny, knocking him off his feet. "You don't get it do you? You are mine anyway! You don't get to choose what I can do and can't do to you! You don't get to decide if you will allow me to be your 'Messiah'! I make the choices. Why? Because I own you!" The Messiah screamed as a boot landed hard against Danny's ribs. Danny gasped in agony, desperately attempting to push away the darkness the lurked at the edges of his tenuous hold of consciousness as Damien's shadow loomed over him. "You belong to me!" the Messiah screamed again as he leaned down and grabbed Danny's arm before he began to drag Danny back towards the soiled mattress.


	10. Chapter 10

After parking his car under the massive branches of an old Bunyan tree, Simons lowered the car window to allow the fresh breeze to cool him as he leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes. Sunrise was still an hour away.

"You don't get it do you? You are mine anyway! You don't get to choose what I can do and can't do to you! You don't get to decide if you will allow me to be your 'Messiah'!”

His eyes snapped open as he heard the muffled shout on the breeze. Sitting up straighter in the car seat, he quickly glanced around and listened carefully.

“I make the choices. Why? Because I own you!"

Simons grinned, as he spotted the lights of a small shack hidden behind a screen of hibiscus. “Got you, Williams!” he murmured triumphantly as he opened his car door and headed stealthily towards the tiny bungalow.  "Thought you could get away from my boys, didn't you Williams?" Simons muttered as he entered the shack and looked around. He licked his lips in anticipation as he saw a partially open door and heard movement coming from within that room. Hurrying across the small sparsely furnished living room, he quietly pushed open the door a little wider and began to descend the stairs into the dimly lit basement, "But you couldn't get away from..."

Simons' sentence was never finished as he saw the shape of a man rush towards him, a moment before he was knocked violently backwards, his head striking the stairs. "He's mine, not yours!” were the last words he heard as he lost consciousness.

OoOoOoO

"Help ... Williams help me! Please help me!"

The agonized scream pulled Danny from the protective darkness that cocooned him from his own agony. Lying as still as he could, Danny tried to remember what had happened and where he now was. The sickening smell of the hard, rough mattress he now found himself lying on quickly answered the question of where he was- he was in Hell- in the madman's basement. Small snatches of memory of his attempted escape and painful recapture before the ‘Messiah’ had dragged him back to the mattress slammed into his mind. The last thing he remembered was struggling to roll free as the ‘Messiah’ climbed on top of him before the basement door opened. The ‘Messiah’ had covered his nose and mouth with a hand to silence him as a blurry figure began to slowly descend the stairs.

"Oh God, stop! No more...please...no more..." The heart-breaking plea close by, quickly morphed into another agonized scream.

Forcing his eyes open, Danny moaned softly in pain as he turned in the direction of the scream and lifted his head, trying to focus on the two blurry forms in the middle of the room. He blinked several times before he was able to bring both figures into focus and gasped in horror. A man was hanging by his wrists from the ceiling; his back crisscrossed with the same bloody welts that Danny knew also marked his own throbbing body, in front of the dangling man stood his tormentor- the ‘Messiah'. Danny's breath caught in his throat as he saw something glint in the madman's hand as he raised it into the air before plunging it back down into his victim's bare shoulder.

"He's mine- not yours. I am his 'Messiah'- not you!" Damien screamed hysterically as the blade tore through his victim's flesh, ignoring Simons' screams as they reverberated around the room. "I own him! He's mine and you are never going to take him away." The mad man yelled, spittle spraying from his mouth as he pulled the bloodied knife free and raised it above his head. "I am his 'Messiah'! I am the one who owns him –mind, body and soul! Me!  _Not you!_   _Me_!"

"Williams! Oh God! Help me!" Simons screamed.

OoOoOoO

 Life was just perfect for Joshua Perkins. Looking up at the bright stars above, the young man smiled – yep– his girlfriend snuggled in his arms as they waited for the sunrise, the sound of the waves crushing on the sand only a few short yards away and the soft warm breeze that played with their hair - there was nothing more he could think of that could make this night more complete. The night could have not been more perfect or more romantic for the question he planned to ask when the first golden rays of dawn colored the sky.

"What was that?"

Joshua jumped in surprise as Alana suddenly pulled away from his embrace and sat up, looking around with large frightened eyes.

"What?" Joshua frowned, unsure of just what had upset his girlfriend.

"Shhh...Listen!" Alana whispered as she waved for him to stay quiet. "Did you hear that?"

Tilting his head, Joshua strained to hear what his girlfriend was hearing and it took him a moment to realize the far away shrieks he heard were not as he had first assumed made by some type of a night bird but the sound of someone screaming in pain. Rising to his feet and turning towards the direction of the cries, Joshua ordered softly, "Wait here. I'm going to check it out."

"Joshua…" Alana whimpered in fear, as she reached for his hand in an attempt to prevent him from leaving. "Please don't go…I'm…I'm scared."

"Wait here!" He ordered more firmly again as he pulled his hand free. Pausing, he smiled reassuringly as he looked down at her and added gently, "Just wait here. You'll be fine. There's nothing to be scared off. I just want to make sure that no one needs help. I'll be right back, I promise."

Looking up at her boyfriend, Alana sniffled as her tears trickled down her face. "Please be careful!" She whispered as she watched Joshua turn and run down the beach in the direction of the small secluded beach house where the agonized screams seemed to emanate from.

OoOoOoOoO

"Oh God, stop! No more...please...no more..."

Standing in the open doorway of the small beach house, Joshua hesitated, his heart beating wildly as he heard a loud agonized scream from somewhere within. He swallowed hard, trying to build up his courage as he gingerly stepped inside and slowly looked around.

The screams and shouts that echoed throughout the tiny house appeared to be coming from behind a partially open door on the other side of the small living room.

Edging closer, Joshua heard another agonized scream voice come from within the room. He stopped and held his breath as the room grew eerily quiet before another angry shout broke the silence. "He's mine- not yours. I am his 'Messiah'- not you! I own him! He's mine and you are never going to take him away."

He knew he should get out of there, run and get some help but he wanted to see what was happening. Reaching the door, he carefully opened it a little more, discovering stairs that seemed to lead down into a small dimly lit basement. Biting his bottom lip in dread of what he was about to encounter, he slowly and cautiously stepped down the first six stairs and peered into the room.

He was unable to stop the horrified gasp that escaped from his lips as he found himself staring at what he could only think of was a scene straight from the depths of Hell. Suspended by his arms in the middle of the room, a man was dangling helplessly above the floor. Even in the dim light, Joshua could see the man's back was drenched in blood as the man twisted and struggled against the ropes,  as a man  standing in front of the dangling man shrieked, "I am his 'Messiah'! I am the one who owns him –mind, body and soul! Me!  _Not you!_   _Me_!" as he pulled the bloodied knife free from the tortured man’s body and raised it above his head.

A small movement in the corner of the room caught Joshua’s attention and he found himself staring into the dark shadows at what appeared to be a man lying on a stained mattress. Despite the dim light, it did not take Joshua long to realize that he was staring at a second bloodied victim.

Hearing a soft, horrified gasp from across the room, Damien glanced instinctively towards the stairs. He was startled to see a dark silhouette of somebody standing there. An angry growl tore from his throat as he watched the figure turn and flee.


	11. Chapter 11

Studying the map on the table, Steve asked "Are you sure that Akeakamai said Mikey told him that Rodger's held him in an isolated shack somewhere on the North Shore?"

“Mikey told him it was an isolated shack somewhere along the beach, Steve, possibly Sunset Beach." Kono answered.

Chin sighed. "There are lots of small isolated beach shacks scattered just north of Sunset where he could be hiding."

"Good place to keep someone that you want to torture. Some of those shacks are so isolated that nobody would hear someone scream. Chin, I want as many plain clothed officers and unmarked HPD cars as we can get up on the North Shore before it gets light. I want all the isolated shacks checked but remind them to be careful, if Rodgers is using one of them we don't want him tipped off that we know he is there.” Steve instructed as he turned and headed towards the door with Chin and Kono close behind. “Kono, show Rodgers and Simons photos to the surfers- maybe one of them has noticed either one of them hanging around or spotted them near one of the beach shacks." Any more orders were cut short as Steve’s phone rang. Turning back to his desk, he snatched the phone up and snapped, “McGarrett.” He paused a moment as he listened to the caller before he hung up and turned back towards his two waiting detectives and announced. "HPD Dispatch just got a call from a kid on the North Shore. He claims he heard screams coming from an isolated beach house and when he went to investigate he saw one, maybe two men being tortured inside. The kid who called it in could not give HPD an address, but he said he can show us where the shack is. HPD are meeting us there."

OoOoOoO

McGarrett’s car rocked to a jolting halt in a cloud of dust, inches behind the police cars that were parked on the tree lined, sandy beach access road. Quickly exiting the car, Steve hurried across to where Duke Lukela was speaking to an upset young man. Looking up from the notes he was taking, the HPD sergeant introduced Joshua to Steve as Chin and Kono joined them, quickly explaining that Joshua was the witness who had called HPD, before nodding at Joshua to continue.

"I heard more screams when I entered the house- the screams were coming from the basement. I know I should have got outta there then and gone for some help, but I wanted to see what was going on." Joshua glanced fearfully in the direction of the partially hidden beach house, shivering as he swallowed hard and forced himself to continue. "The basement door was open a little, so I pushed it open a little wider and went down the stairs ... That's...that's when I saw them. There were three of them in there, one on a mattress in the corner, one hanging by his arms in the middle of the room and the crazy guy was…” The young man’s face paled and he looked away, and swallowed hard, forcing down the hot bile that burned the back of his throat before he forced himself to continue. “The crazy guy was screaming as he was stabbing the first guy."

"Can you describe the men?" Steve interrupted.

The young man bit his lip as he turned his attention back to the tense cop. "Ummm... I... I didn't really get a good look at them, Bruddah, I mean... I ... I really didn't expect to see someone hanging by his arms, covered in blood…ummm… I …I’m not sure if I can."

“Try.” Steve encouraged quietly, "Let’s start with the man hanging. Was he Caucasian, Hawaiian, maybe Oriental? What color hair did he have?"

Biting his bottom lip as he tried to remember, Joshua answered hesitantly, "He was white, in his forties... maybe...and his hair looked gray...He... he was covered in blood.

I didn't get a good look at the guy on the ground. He was in the shadows.

But the third guy... he was crazy. He musta heard me on the stairs because he looked right at me. It was like lookin' into the face of the devil. He was tall and skinny and his eyes..." The young man shivered as his own eyes drifted back towards the beach house as he continued more softly, "Even in the dark...they looked dead...like there was nothin' there ...ya know what I mean... they just didn't look human!"

Steve nodded as he remembered the eyes that had stared back at him when he had studied the photo of Rodgers. "Would you recognize him again if we showed you a photo?"

"I will never forget that face!" Joshua breathed as Chin quickly handed Steve a photo of Rodgers. The young man gasped aloud, and his face grew pale, as he stared at the man in the photo and swallowed hard. "That's him!" he whispered, "That's him!"

"Do you know if they are still in the shack?"

"I left Alana, my girlfriend, to watch the shack while I went to find a phone to call for help,” Josh answered as he tilted his head in the direction of a frightened woman who was giving a statement to a HPD officer. "I told her to stay well hidden," he added quickly before he rushed on, "She said that nobody came out while I was gone. I was only gone for a few minutes."

Squeezing the frightened man's shoulder, Steve forced a small reassuring smile, "You did the right thing. I would like you and Alana to accompany one of the HPD officers back to Honolulu to give us a full statement of what you saw."

Joshua silently nodded his agreement as Steve called a HPD officer across to where they were standing and instructed him to take the young couple back to HPD headquarters and take their statements.

"Rodgers must have known that Joshua would have reported to the police what he saw!" Kono said softly, "So why would he stay?"

"Maybe he really does believe he is the ‘Messiah' and we can't touch him." Chin answered as they followed Steve back to his truck.

"Whatever the reason, I am going to try and get a little closer.’ Steve told the two detectives as he opened the Mercury’s trunk , and grabbed the bullet proof vest. After shrugging it on, he pulled out his gun and checked it before re-holstering it as he continued. “I want to see if I can see if anything is happening inside. I want you to get everyone prepared to go in."

"Be careful!" Chin admonished softly as Steve silently slipped away.

OoOoOoO

Using the dark shadows of the trees, Steve edged closer to the small beach shack. He paused at the edge of the driveway, hidden by the thick foliage of a hibiscus tree as he quickly studied the house and its surrounding. A small car was parked in the driveway and further down the road he noticed a car parked in the shadows of an old Bunyan tree. The front door to the small beach dwelling was open and several lights appeared to be on within but there were no signs of movement. Turning, he hurried back to where the small contingent of officers were waiting.

"The house is open and there are lights on inside," he told them softly, "Kono, take two officers and cover the back, we’ll give you to the count of ten to get into position and then we will move in."

Kono nodded and carefully hurried towards the back of the shack with two HPD officers, making sure they stayed in the dark shadows of the trees.

Reaching the front of the house, McGarrett silently counted to ten to allow Kono and his team time to get into position before he led Chin and the three HPD officers into the house.

Moving quickly, the two teams of police officers secured the rest of the house before they moved to the closed basement door. Stopping at the doorway, Steve listened for any sound from the room, but the room sounded eerily silent.

Lifting his foot, he kicked the door open with a resounding crash, his gun ready for any sign of trouble as Kono and Chin closely followed him.

Even though he had been told by the young witness about Simons hanging in the middle of the room, the sight of the tortured man still shocked Steve. Suspended by his arms in the middle of the room, Simons' body dangled lifelessly over a deep spreading pool of his own blood. The criminal's throat had been cut.

Stepping further into the room, Steve looked around before he lowered his gun and swore. The ‘Messiah’ and Danny were gone.


	12. Chapter 12

"Steve." Stepping back into the now brightly lit basement, Chin and Kono veered around Simons' hanging corpse as they hurried across to where Steve stood silently studying the basement's back wall as Chin began his report. "I have HPD searching the beach and anywhere that Rodgers could have taken Danny but so far no luck."

"There have been no sightings of Rodgers and Danny at all." Kono added, "Although one surfer did notice Simons slowly driving around just before dawn."

"Maybe they didn't leave the shack at all." Steve stated cryptically as he stepped closer to the back wall, lightly running his hand over it before he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small flick knife. "Maybe Rodgers is just waiting for us to leave."

Chin's eyes grew momentarily wide in surprise and he un-holstered his gun as Kono followed his lead. "False?" he asked softly.

"False." Steve confirmed quietly as his fingers traced the outline of a hidden door. Stepping back, he un-holstered his own gun and raised his foot before he kicked the flimsy door hard, crouching low as the door shattered inward and he rushed into the room with Chin and Kono close behind.

"I've been expecting you!" A deep soft voice announced from the dark shadows of the small newly revealed room. Rodgers smiled benignly, as he stepped into the light shining through the open door, holding Danny tightly against his chest as he held a knife against the detective's throat.

Steve's chest tightened at the sight of his partner. Danny's face and body were covered in blood, grime and dark bruises and his eyes held a haunted look.

"Rodgers!" Kono breathed.

"I am 'The Messiah'." The insane man corrected, glancing at the rookie detective before he returned his attention back to Steve. "His 'Messiah'," he declared, nodding towards the man he held tightly in his arms.

"You're not his 'Messiah' or anyone else's." Steve stated firmly as he stepped closer, his gun aimed steadily at the two men. "Drop the knife."

"I am 'The Messiah' and I own his mind and his body!" Rodgers declared loudly, ignoring the McGarrett’s order as he pulled the blade across Danny's throat. "And now I own his soul!"

"No!" Steve yelled, horrified as his closest friend's throat was slashed in front of him.

"He belongs to me now!" Rodgers laughed as he released his victim, allowing Danny to tumble to the floor, before he hungrily licked the bloody blade of the knife a moment before Steve's bullet slammed into his chest, knocking him backwards.

Running across the room, Steve dropped to his knees beside Danny. He placed his hand over the wound across his friend's neck in an attempt to slow the bleeding as he gently lifted Danny's head and shoulders up off the floor, cradling him. "It's okay, Aikane," he whispered softly, ignoring Kono's shouts for an ambulance and the commotion that was happening around them as Danny moaned in pain and opened his eyes, staring up at him in fear and confusion. "I've got you." 

"Rodgers is still alive, Steve." Chin said quietly as he knelt down beside the unconscious man, pressing his white handkerchief against the bleeding hole in Rodgers' chest.

Steve nodded distractedly as Danny's eyes slid slowly closed as he felt Danny's blood seep between his fingers. Looking up at the officers around them, he demanded, "Where the hell is the ambulance?"


	13. Chapter 13

The doctor entered the crowded basement and quickly glanced around. If he was shocked by the dead man hanging in the middle of the room, he did not allow it to show on his face as he hurried across to a second smaller room where Steve was cradling Danny in his arms. Hurrying over, he crouched down beside the two men, opening the bag he carried before taking out a sealed paper bag and tearing it open, removing a sterile dressing pad. "How's he doing?" he asked as he lifted Steve's hand, glancing at the wound beneath before quickly covering the wound with the pad and firmly placing Steve's hand back down upon it.

"Not good, I can't stop the bleeding." Steve answered as he studied his Danny's ashen face.

The doctor nodded as he reached back into his bag and removed some surgical tape, quickly using it to hold the dressing firmly in place. He turned and waved two ambulance attendants over as they hurried into the room carrying equipment and a stretcher between them, followed closely by two more ambulance attendants carrying similar equipment. "I need you both over here, now!" he ordered gruffly as he turned back to Danny.

Lifting him from Steve's arms, the doctor placed the injured detective onto the floor while keeping Steve’s hand held firmly on the dressing as he instructed firmly, "Try and keep pressure on the wound."

The attendants hurried across to where the doctor was crouched treating a patient. The second pair of attendants headed across to the second victim, eyeing the hanging body with trepidation as they passed it.

"What have we got?" the oldest attendant asked as he knelt beside the doctor.

"Slashed throat! We need to sedate and intubate before we can wrap and run." the doctor answered as he gently lifted each of Danny's eyelids to check his pupil reaction to the light. "How's his blood pressure?"

The younger attendant wrapped the BP cuff around the patient's bicep and quickly inflated it. He frowned as he slowly released the air from blood pressure cuff and re-inflated it for the second time, checking his initial reading was correct as he looked across at the gray-haired physician. "Low- systolic – 60, I can't pick up the diastolic."

"Pulse is 120 and thready," the first attendant added as he released the detective's wrist.

"Not surprising with the amount of blood he's lost," the doctor muttered as he reached into the drug box and removed a small vial. Picking up a needle, he plunged it into the rubber stopper at the top of the small bottle, drawing up the clear fluid into the syringe before he carefully injected it into the vein in Danny's arm.

Placing the needle down, he quickly rechecked Danny's pulse and reaction of the detective's pupils. Satisfied that the drug had done its work and the detective was now sedated, he skilfully opened Danny's mouth and placed the endoscope into Danny's mouth and throat before expertly inserting the breathing tube and removing the endoscope. Accepting the blue –valve- mask from the senior attendant, the doctor quickly connected it to the tube and gently began to squeeze and release the blue bag, taking over Danny's breathing.

Looking around, he called to one of the officers to come and assist, quickly showing him how breathe for the sedated detective before he returned his attention to the junior attendant, "Let's get him started on Normal Saline - wide open. I want to try and get his blood pressure up before we transport."

The attendant nodded as he reached for the bag of saline, connecting the tubing before he passed the bag to Kono, who was watching anxiously behind him, to hold. He deftly inserted the needle into the back of the detective's hand and connected the drip, adjusting the flow so the fluid ran freely into the patient's vein.

"Okay, let's get him secured on the backboard and go," the doctor ordered as he moved up to the top of Danny's head and firmly placed his hands on either side of Danny's face, ensuring that his head and neck would not move as he was rolled onto the backboard.

"What about his other injuries?" the attendant asked glancing down at the bruised and bloodied body of their patient as he was carefully logged rolled onto his side before a police officer slipped the backboard behind his back.

"We can treat them later. We need to concentrate on getting him to Queens first and worry about the other stuff later." The doctor answered distractedly as he carefully secured the straps after Danny was laid horizontal again, ensuring the detective would be unable to be accidentally jostled as they carried him from the room.

The attendant quickly moved across and silently nodded his thanks at Steve as he quickly took control of maintaining the pressure on the patient's wound as Danny was lifted onto the stretcher.

Glancing across at the other patient as they started their egress towards the basement door, the doctor asked, "How serious is his injury?"

The ambulance attendant treating Rodgers looked up and waved the doctor away. "He has a bullet wound to the upper chest but he's stable."

"Let's get them out of here," the doctor ordered as he followed Danny's stretcher from the room.

Steve followed closely behind, He knew that even without being given the orders, Kono would secure the scene while he and Chin escorted Danny and Rodgers to the hospital.

OoOoOoO

Che Fong's nose wrinkled unconsciously as the overwhelming, coppery smell of blood assaulted his senses as he stepped down the stairs into the small basement. He paused at the bottom of the stairs as he slowly looked around the scene. Bloodied whips, bamboo canes, ropes were scattered across the floor as the dim light thrown from the small hanging light bulb reflected and twinkled in the dark crimson pool of congealing blood. His eyes drifted up to the body, hanging by its arms from the rafter, which was casting macabre shadows against the walls with each flash of the police photographer's camera. Momentarily, the forensic expert found himself wondering if he had accidentally walked into a medieval torture chamber rather than a crime scene in modern Honolulu.

Drawing a deep breath and refocusing on his job, Che hurried across to where Kono was speaking to several HPD officers. He waited patiently until Kono finished giving orders and the officers had moved away before he glanced once more around the room and found his eyes wandering back to the grotesquely hanging body. "I…I wasn't quite expecting that when I walked into the room," he admitted uncomfortably as he nodded towards the center of the room before attempting to joke weakly as his stomach churned, "Trust Berg and his boys to get hung up in traffic even at this early hour of the morning." Looking around the room again at the whips, canes and ropes before looking back at the bruised and bloodied body, Che swallowed hard as he asked, "Were any of these…I mean…umm… was Danny tortured as well?"

"I think so…" Kono nodded slowly as he looked around at the evidence scattered around, Swallowing hard, he struggled to stay in cop’s mode rather than as Danny’s friend as he softly ordered, "Steve wants this whole place gone through with a fine-tooth comb."

Nodding, Che walked across to one of the whips on the ground before he slowly knelt down and opened his case, removing the finger dust powder and brush from within. Opening the small jar, he carefully twirled the brush within before brushing the whip's leather handle for fingerprints as he found himself wondering if the whip had been used on Five-O detective. He swallowed hard as the hot bile rose into the back of his throat at the thought of the thin throng slicing into Danny’s unprotected back. He forced the thought away as he tried to concentrate on his job of collecting the forensic evidence.

"Kono, I think we found something!"

Che and Kono glanced at each other as they heard Tony Wilkie's excited shout from the next room. Carefully rising from the floor where they had been kneeling while examining and collecting the fine blood splatter that stained the wall, they hurried out into the kitchen and across to where the HPD officer was standing, looking at the contents of a drawer. "Guess the 'Messiah' didn't just enjoy torturing his victims, he liked drugging them as well." Tony said softly as he nodded towards a small bottle that contained tablets within the draw.

Removing a handkerchief from his pocket, Kono carefully used it to pick up the bottle and turned it over to read the name of the drug. "Flunitrazepam."

"Flunitrazepam. Better known as Rohypnol, but more commonly known as the date rape drug. He probably used it to make it stop his victims from struggling as he hung them from the ceiling by their arms." Che stated softly as he carefully picked up the bottle with his gloved hand and examined it before placing it securely into an evidence bag swallowing down the hot bile that rose in the back of his throat as the image of Simons' grotesquely hanging body slammed back into his mind. He was unable to stop the shiver that shook his body at the memory nor the raised goose bumps that appeared on his arms.

"Or when he raped them." Kono added softly as he stared at the small bottle, "I wonder if he used it on Danny?"

"You better let McGarrett know what we found." Che suggested, "If Danny has any in his system, it could complicate things."

"I will." Kono nodded as he turned and headed towards the door, "I need to let Steve know that we are close to wrapping up things here as well."

"If you get an update on Danny's condition…" Che said quietly.

"You'll be to first to know!" Kono answered over his shoulder as he walked out of the shack.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Steve paced the hospital corridor as he waited for an update on Danny's condition. Danny's condition had deteriorated in the ambulance and he had been rushed into the OR only minutes after arriving at the hospital. Although Rodger's knife had missed the vital blood vessels in Danny's neck, it had not missed his trachea.

Running a hand over his face, Steve swallowed hard as he tried to blink away the unshed tears that threatened to fall. The last week had been agony, not knowing if Danny was alive or dead, but the pain he had endured paled significantly against the sheer terror of watching the madman slash Danny's throat. He could still see the look of pain and shock on his partner's face as the knife sliced deeply into Danny's neck. He could feel the blood as it seeped through his fingers as he held Danny in his arms, terrified that each gasping breath would be the last breath Danny would take. The fear of losing his partner and closest friend was terrifying and the guilt of the part he had played in Danny's abduction was crushing.

"Steve."

Steve stopped pacing as Chin hurried down the corridor towards him.

"How's Danny?" Chin asked anxiously when he reached McGarrett.

"Not good. They've taken him straight into surgery." Steve answered as he glanced anxiously down the corridor towards the operating rooms before he returned his attention back to Chin. "Kono called, he found a bottle Rohypnol in Rodger's house. It appears that Rodgers was drugging his victims to subdue them and stop them from fighting him. The doctors are going to run a tox screen to see if Danny has any in his system."

"So that's how he managed to hang them up by their arms without them fighting him." Chin murmured.

"Would have made it easier to control his victims." McGarrett agreed before he asked, "How's Rodgers?"

"He's stable and on the way to the O.R. The bullet hit him high in the chest, barring no complications; the doctor thinks he'll make a full recovery. I have arranged for two HPD officers to guard him when he goes to recovery."

"Mister McGarrett."

Steve turned as the surgeon hurried towards them. The grim look on the doctor's face warned the detective that the update on Danny's condition was not going to be positive.

"How is he, Doc?" Steve asked anxiously as soon as the surgeon joined them.

"Critical." The surgeon answered tersely before he continued, "We have managed to repair a tear in his trachea but he wasn't coping well with the anaesthetic, I suspect the tox test will confirm that he has high levels of Rohypnol in his system. We will monitor him closely

Detective Williams has also suffered several broken ribs that are in various stages of healing. Some of the rib fractures are recent breaks but by the amount of healing we saw on the X-rays, some of the fractures are at least a week old. He also has a fractured cheek bone and a moderate concussion as well as bruised kidneys and abdominal bruising probably caused by several severe beatings that have been inflicted over the last several days.

Like the victim who was located in the basement where Detective Williams was found, I suspect that Detective Williams was also hung by his arms and tortured. There are deep rope burns to both his wrists and his back is lacerated. There are also several deep cuts that travel up his left side from his waist to just beneath his underarm, possibly the result of being tortured with a knife. He is already showing symptoms of infection, so we have started him on a course of strong antibiotics to try and keep any infection under control. We will be monitoring his condition closely during the next twenty-four hours."

Steve nodded, horrified at the degree of violence Danny had endured, before he asked the question which he feared hearing the answer of. "Were there any signs of sexual abuse?"

The doctor shook his head. "No."

"Thank God." Steve whispered as he heard a small sigh of relief slip from Chin. "Can we see him?"

"I'm sorry, not until this afternoon. He's in recovery at the moment and I would like to get him stabilized a little more before we move him up to ICU and allow visitors, and even he will be heavily sedated. Now if you will excuse me, I want to get back to Detective Williams."

"Thanks Doc." Steve said as the doctor turned and headed back down the corridor before he looked at Chin. "As much as we want to stay, there's nothing more we can do here until Danny is settled in ICU. So, let's have a little chat with Simons' partner Lomear about Danny's kidnapping."

OoOoOo

Leaning against the wall, Chin watched as Steve circled Simons' lean Hawaiian business partner who was lounging on the white chair in front of McGarrett’s desk.

"I'm telling you Bruddah, Harris must be lolo on some ono Pakalolo if he thinks I was talkin' to his cuz about that missing cop!" Adrian Lomear smiled smugly as he crossed his hands behind his head and stretched out his legs on the desk  in front of him. "No wonder Mark couldn't stand bein' in the same room as that crazy haole."

Stepping closer to the seated man, hit Lomear’s legs off the desk, almost toppling the man from his seat as Steve growled down at the man. "We had a phone-tap on Simons' phone. We have a recording of the phone call Simons made to you. The phone call where you told Simons how the 'puppy' had managed to escape from the warehouse where you were holding him and how he was followed to the very same alleyway where Detective Williams was seen by several witnesses before he disappeared in the company of a man who called himself the 'Messiah'."

Lomear shrugged seemingly unperturbed as Steve leaned closer and said softly. "Danny Williams disappeared at the same time as you told Simons' that the 'puppy' was last seen being taken away by a Good Samaritan. The description you gave Simons of the bleeding- heart Good Samaritan was an accurate description of Damien Rodgers, a serial killer who refers to himself as the 'Messiah'. The same man who we believe Simons killed two men last night to find and the same man who murdered your partner after Simons found him and Danny Williams at an isolated beach house on the North Shore earlier this morning."

The business man face paled as he sat up straighter on the chair and turned to look at Chin in disbelief before he turned back to Steve, "Mark's dead?"

Steve silently nodded.

"Oh God!" Lomear murmured as he dropped his head into hands before he slowly looked back up and asked, "Are you sure Mark's dead?" Steve nodded again as the businessman continued, "I can't believe it. I…I tried to warn him that grabbing a Five-O cop was a bad idea but he wouldn't listen."

"So, it was Simons' idea to grab one of us when he was arrested?" Steve asked.

The Hawaiian nodded, "Yeah, he knew it was only a matter of time before you arrested him so he thought as long as he had one of you big shot Five-O cops then it would be a warning for any witnesses you had who were going to testify against him to keep their mouth shut. He also wanted to know the evidence that you cops’ had.

His lawyer somehow found out that you had an arrest warrant and he called Mark and warned him that you were on your way. Mark knew that you would probably send one of your guys to cover the back. When he did, we were waiting. Williams didn't know what hit him. He was watching the back door when I managed to sneak up behind him. It only took a minute for the chloroform to knock him out. We had a car waiting… we were gone before any of you even realized that Williams was missing.

Then when Williams escaped…" Adrian shook his head slowly, "I tried to tell him just to let Williams go - his brain was so scrambled that he would never be able to finger Mark or any of us, but Mark wouldn't listen." The Hawaiian looked back down at his hands as he added softly, "But I think he just enjoyed the power of messing with a cop's mind. I think he got a real kick out of it."

Casting a quick disturbed glance at Steve, Chin asked softly, "What do you mean messing with a cop's mind?"

Shaking his head, Adrian looked back up and let out a shaky breath before he continued, "Mark read somewhere that by lowering someone's blood sugar with insulin to make them confused and then beating them and not letting them sleep, you could brainwash someone, especially if you can make them believe that no one cares about them. That's what he did to Williams."

"So that's why he wanted the insulin?" Chin asked.

"Yeah, ain't sure just how he got it. Probably from his pupule haole cousin." Adrian laughed, "Always told Mark that his cousin should wear a dress. He ain't no man, Bruddah, he's a little wahine. Would shake in fear and almost wet his pants every time Mark spoke to him!"

Steve ignored the derogatory insults about Mark Simons' cousin as he took a step closer and frowned, "So Simons did the 'brainwashing'. How? He was under HPD surveillance."

Lomear was unable to stop the small smug smile as he answered, "He knew that you had cops watching him and his house after he made bail. So, he would slipped out of the back door at night time after he had pulled the blinds down and had one of our boys slip in, so that you cops saw movement in the house and thought it was him. He did that for almost the full week and you stupid cops didn't even know what he was doing. He thought it was so funny." The smile faded as he spoke, "Mark injected Williams two or three times a night with some insulin. He was real careful about it. Made real sure that he just gave Williams enough to make him confused. He said if he gave the cop too much it would kill him, and he couldn't get no info off a dead cop. He would wait a few minutes for the stuff to work and then he would start to beat him, yelling at him how he was worthless and how no one cared what happened to him. I think Mark really got off on how much pain he inflicted on the cop both physically and emotionally. Mark was like that- he liked seeing people in pain. I asked him later why he did that, and he told me cause that's what the book he read said to do – said it broke the person's will and made it easier to brainwash them. And then he told us to make sure that Williams didn't get any sleep when he wasn't there durin' the day."

Chin threw a horrified glance at Steve before he returned his attention back to the man sitting in the chair as Lomear continued, "That cop was one tough cookie, I can tell you. He wouldn't break no matter what Mark said or did, not until Mark realized where or should I say who the cop's weakness was." The Hawaiian paused and shook his head in amazement. "It was you!  Any way once Mark realized this, it was easy for him to break Williams' spirit. The cop was confused with all the lack of sleep, the beatings and the insulin. In the end I don't think he knew what was real and what were lies. Mark was able to convince him that when he refused to talk, we grabbed you and killed you. I have never seen anything like it. At first Williams tried to deny it. He didn't want to believe that the great cop, Steve McGarrett was really dead and that he it was his fault, but Mark just kept telling him it over and over again-like he was getting a real kick out of how much pain Williams was in hearing it. Suddenly Williams grew real quiet and you could see the life sort of go out of him, know what I mean?" he asked, looking at back at Chin.

Chin swallowed hard and nodded.

"It was like he just totally closed down." Adrian continued softly, "He wouldn't talk, wouldn't react to anything that Mark did to him. In the end Mark grew bored and told us to take him back to the bedroom where we had been holding him and left. But Williams must have been fakin', Bruddah, 'cause he sat on the floor most of the day, not movin', not talkin', doing nothin' no matter what we did to him for two days. Then yesterday afternoon as soon as I unlocked the bedroom door, Williams made a break for it. He pushed me out of the way, I fell onto the floor and he made it out of the front door before I could stop him. I knew I had better let Mark know what happened, so I called his cousin. I didn't want to call Mark in case you had his phone tapped." he laughed weakly, "Guess I was right."

"So how did you know that Danny Williams was in that alley?" Steve asked.

"I had some of the guys searching for him. One of them spotted him as he went into the alley but there were too many people around for him to grab him. So, he was waiting for an opportunity when that 'Messiah' guy turned up and Williams went with the Do-Gooder. I told Mark as soon as I was told. Mark went absolutely crazy that I had let Williams get away. He must have gone lookin' for them. I guess he found them."

"He did!" Steve growled as angrily he reached down and grabbed Lomear's arm and pulled him roughly to his feet before he pushed the businessman non-too-gently towards Chin, "Book him."


	15. Chapter 15

Stepping into the recovery room, the FBI agent flashed his badge at the nurse before he headed towards the curtained cubicle that was guarded by HPD officer. He gave a small nod as he showed his badge to the officer before he stepped around the curtain and walked across to the man asleep on the bed.

He sighed aloud as his eyes traveled over the man he had protected for two years when the rest of the FBI team had been closing the net around them, falsifying and losing evidence that linked them to their killing spree across the mainland. Despite all his attempts to divert the investigation away from Rodgers and himself, Rodgers had been caught. A single strand of hair on a body, an eyewitness's account from a bum in an alley who had seen Rodgers in the company of one of their victims, and Rodgers' own insane rambling confession that he was the 'Messiah' had been all that was needed to convict him for life to the confines of a secure psychiatric hospital. The FBI agent knew it was only a matter of time before the medication would stabilize his partner in crime and his own involvement in the deaths would be exposed.

Rodgers' escape had been easy. No one had suspected his involvement but the desire and thrill to kill again had been too great and despite the promise he had made to himself to stop, he had joined Rodgers on another killing spree across California.

No one connected him to any of the killings, as the lead agent on the case, it made perfect sense for him to be in the same locations as the killings. But he knew that one day his luck would run out. He needed to get his partner off of the mainland and Hawaii was the perfect paradise for them. All that Rodgers had needed to do was wait until he settled into the FBI office in Honolulu, then they could have some real fun again. But the wait had proved too much for the man who believed he was the 'Messiah'. Rodgers had started to started killing again on his own.

Thompson shook his head and sighed again as he stared down at his sleeping partner in crime. He had got him out of one secure hospital, he could get him out of here. All he had to do was bide their time until Rodgers was strong enough to escape. Until then, he would continue to be the perfect FBI agent who wanted to see justice done. The perfect agent who would have full access to Rodger's only surviving victim.

He had to swallow the soft chuckle that threatened to escape as he turned and walked out of the door. He could feel the familiar tingle of excitement stir within. All he had to do was be patient.

OoOoOoO

Folding back the light sheet that covered Danny, the doctor carefully began to palpate his abdomen. His worried frown deepened as he felt the hardening rigidity beneath his fingertips as he lightly pressed. Glancing across at the nurse, he asked, "What's his BP?"

"65/40." She answered succinctly as she removed the stethoscope from her ears and reached for the thermometer she had placed under Danny’s armpit. Removing it she glanced at the thing silver line before she added, "His temperature has risen to 104." Glancing across at the worried physician she asked, "Do you want me to contact Dr. Burton?

The doctor sighed and adjusted the flow of the drip before he looked back up at the nurse. "Tell him that to meet us up at the OR, stat. Then contact the OR and tell them that we're coming. Warn them that we are dealing with severe hepatic hemorrhaging and that we will need a large supply O negative blood standing by."

The nurse silently nodded and turned towards the phone on the Recovery Room's nurse's desk as the doctor added. "Also contact McGarrett and let him know what's happening. I think he will want to be here."


	16. Chapter 16

"We were able to identify eight of the missing men who were all last seen in Rodger's company by the fingerprints found in the cabin. HPD are trying to get a list of the names of the other missing men but its slow work, Boss." Kono reported as he passed the file containing the photos of eight dirty and unshaven faces of the missing homeless men before continuing. "Che found several different blood types and hairs on the whips, canes, ropes, knifes and mattress, plus numerous fingerprints throughout the house. Several sets of fingerprints belonged to Danny and the eight missing men we have been able to match up with fingerprints so far, but others were yet to be identified. He also found several different blood types on the stained mattress that was in the basement, also dried semen stains. He was able to identify the blood type from the dry semen- A positive- which is the same blood type as Rodgers."

Chin tried to smother a yawn as he slid another photo across McGarrett’s desk, beginning his own report as Steve slid it a little closer and began to study it. "HPD found a body in an alley this morning, Steve, close to the alley where Rodgers found Danny. They identified the victim as Terry Loward. A small-time dealer and one of Simons' suspected 'business' associates. He had been shot in the back at close range. Doc said very close range, the gun was an inch or two away from his body when it was discharged. Ballistics confirm the .22 calibar bullet that Doc pulled out of Loward’s body was fired from gun that was used to kill Akeakamai Huupa."

Steve stretched and yawned tiredly as he pushed his chair away and stood up before walking across to the open lanai doors., "So that's how Simons found out about Rodgers picking up Danny," he mused as he stared out across the dark palace grounds.

"Loward hangs around Waikiki. He probably knew from listening to the coconut wireless that Simons was looking Danny and saw Danny in stumble into the alley or leave with Rodgers…"

"And he decided to make himself a few extra dollars." Kono finished Chin’s sentence.

"Except he didn't count on the fact that Simons was cleaning up and didn't want to leave anyone who could testify against him." Steve concluded as he turned back and looked at his two detectives, seated in the two white high back chairs in front of his desk before he demanded. "What about Lomear?"

"He stopped talking, Steve, and lawyered up. I don't think we will get much more out of him about who else was involved in Danny's kidnapping and torture. HPD are checking out several of the houses that Simons' owned. Hopefully, we will find the one that Danny was held in before they clean it up and get rid of the evidence, but I don't like our chances once Simons' boys discover he is dead Chin sighed, trying to stifle another exhausted yawn as the phone on McGarrett’s desk began to ring.

With a scowl of annoyance, McGarrett cross to his desk and snatched up the phone, snapping "McGarrett."

Chin and Kono watched as Steve's face pale as he listened to the caller before thanking whoever it was and assured them he would be directly there.

Slamming the phone down, he turned and rushed towards the door as he told Chin and Kono over his shoulder, "Danny's being rushed back into surgery. He's hemorrhaging internally. They want me back at the hospital."


	17. Chapter 17

Sitting on his seat in the corridor, Thompson watched McGarrett stepped out of the elevator and hurried past him to the nurse's desk. He recognized the lead Five-O detective instantly, and had been awaiting his arrival, after finding out that Williams had been rushed back into surgery. He knew if he wanted to succeed in his plans to help Rodger's escape from the hospital, he would need to gain McGarrett's trust and be included in the investigation. And he knew just how to do that, he had also done his homework on McGarrett and the Five-O team.

He waited until McGarrett had finished talking to the nurse before he rose from his seat and walked across to where Steve now stood before showing him his badge and holding out his hand to shake McGarrett's hand as he introduced himself, "Mister McGarrett, I'm Agent Thompson, FBI. I was the lead agent on the Rodger's case on the mainland before I transferred to Honolulu. I was told that you have Rodgers in custody? When? How?"

Ignoring the agent's outstretched hand, McGarrett answered, "He was taken into our custody this morning after he was wounded during a hostage drama. He killed one of the hostages before we arrived and we were forced to shoot him when he attempted to murder a second hostage, my Second-In-Command, Danny Williams."

"Detective Williams?" Thompson's voice dropped guiltily. "I'm sorry, how is he?"

"Critical." Steve answered warily. "The doctors have just taken him back into surgery."

"Damn, I was hoping his injuries were only minor," The older FBI agent said quietly before he looked around and nodded towards an empty office and suggested, "Please, let's talk in there."

Opening the door to the empty doctor's office, Thompson followed McGarrett into the room, closing the door firmly behind him before he demanded softly, "I'm going to get straight to the point, McGarrett, I know that Five-O is running the investigation, but I want in on this case. The FBI has total jurisdiction, Rodgers crossed several state lines in his murder spree, thus making it a federal case and if I have to I will…"

"You will what? Take over the case? Look what happened when the FBI were in charge of the case. We have one man dead, at least fifteen more missing after being last seen in Rodgers' company and my partner fighting for his life after Rodgers' slit his throat." Steve turned and stepped threateningly closer to the older man.

"Now listen McGarrett, I know that you are upset about what happened to Williams but that is not my fault!"

"Not your fault?" McGarrett asked hotly, "Not your fault? Then whose fault is it? Tell me who is ultimately responsible for Danny Williams lying in that recovery room fighting for his life?"

"Damien Rodgers! That's who! The same man who is responsible for over fifty other similar murders not only here but on the mainland! The man who I hunted down for over two years!" Thompson answered heatedly.

"No…Rodgers is the man who inflicted the injuries… but he is not the only man responsible for the kidnapping and murder of at least one man… maybe the kidnapping and murders of at least fifteen more men who were last seen in his company and now are missing, and the kidnapping and attempted murder of my partner. The FBI and you, as the lead agent involved in the original case, must bear some of the guilt." McGarrett stabbed his finger into the FBI agent's chest emphasizing every one of his words, " _You_  knew that a serial killer had escaped from custody and yet you didn't bother to issue an APB.  _You_  allowed him to pick up his killing where he left off, free to choose his victims at will while under being able to stay under the local police enforcement radar."

"Don't you dare think for a minute that after I had spent months hunting that sicko down, seeing the pain and torture he inflicted on his victims before he killed them, knowing the terror that each of those men must have gone through as he tried to force them to accept him as their 'Messiah', that I didn't fight with all my might to issue an APB when he escaped! I knew that Rodgers would kill again! And I knew he would not stop killing until he was caught or killed himself, but my 'Superiors' didn't want to panic the public by advertising a madman was on the loose. They believed the agency could… no would… recapture him within a few days… quietly, with no fuss and nobody any wiser that he had escaped.

But I knew with each passing day that he was out there somewhere killing. I have worked the case every day since he disappeared from the psychiatric hospital –both on and off duty…following up every lead that came in. We knew he was still in California." The agent's voice dropped, "His handiwork was turning up everywhere across the state, his MO never changed, homeless men- raped and slowly and methodically tortured to death then about six months ago the killings suddenly stopped. I kept an eye for any murders with similar M.O.s across the nation, even after I transferred here to Honolulu but nothing…I was starting to think that maybe he was dead…until I heard on the news today about Five-O’s investigation into the disappearance of Detective Williams and several homeless men and that an arrest had been made. That the suspect had been wounded in the arrest." Rubbing his hand over his graying hair, Thompson swallowed as he turned away, "That's when I knew the killings had started all over again…That Rodger's is probably the man you had in custody. I made a few phone calls and discovered that Rodger's and Detective Williams had both been brought to this hospital. So, I thought…" Turning back towards the detective, the FBI agent pleaded, "I want to work with you on this case. I want make sure this piece of scum is taken off the streets permanently."

Eyeing the agent warily, McGarrett took a deep breath to cool his temper before he added firmly, "This is Five-O’s case and he gets prosecuted in Hawaii. I want him brought to justice here for what he has done not only to Danny Williams but to the other victims here in Hawaii."

"Agreed, Five-O has complete jurisdiction, but I would still like to assist." Thompson agreed as the door to the office opened and a doctor entered the room.

McGarrett nodded distractedly as he looked towards the door and anxiously watched the doctor enter the room. The grim look on the doctor's face warned Steve that the news was not what he really wanted to hear. He swallowed hard, in an attempt to swallow the lump of fear in his throat that threatened to choke him, before he was able to speak, "How's Danny?"

"He's alive," The doctor answered succinctly as he tugged the mask that hung loosely around his neck free. "We managed to pack the tear in his liver and stopped the bleeding, but it took a lot out of him. His condition is extremely critical…I just don't know …I was hoping that we could let him rest before we had to go back in… "

"He's a fighter Doc!" Steve said with an air of confidence that he did not feel, "He's come this far, he's not going to give up."

"He may not have a choice." The doctor answered honestly.

"I'm not giving up on him as easily." Steve insisted. "Can I see him?'

The doctor nodded, "We are transferring him to the ICU where he can rest and be monitored closely. I have already told the nurses that you can stay with him once they have him settled."

"Thanks Doc." Steve smiled, relieved he would not have to argue about remaining with Danny overnight before he asked. "What about Rodgers?"

"I understand that he is being transferred up to the ICU as well to be monitored overnight. I guess that you will be placing HPD guards on his room."

"I will do the first shift." Thompson volunteered as he stepped forward and looked at McGarrett pleadingly as he admitted softly, "I have taken leave from the FBI and I'm here already." before adding quickly, "And I'm sure the HPD officer who would be assigned to guard him would be better utilized doing his job out on the beat. Please…"

McGarrett hesitated a moment before nodding his agreement. "I'll have one of my guys or someone from HPD relieve you in a couple of hours. And remember that you are just helping out. This is our case."

"It's your case McGarrett, I understand, and I promise you, I have no intention of taking Rodgers back to the mainland to stand trial." Thompson smiled triumphantly as he followed McGarrett and the doctor from the waiting room, "In fact, I totally agree with you, justice should be served here for the crimes he has committed"

0)0)0)0)

Stepping into the small ICU room, Steve was unable to stop the gasp of shock that slipped from between his lips as he stopped and stared at the motionless figure lying in the bed, it was only the soft beeps of the heart monitor and the small rise and fall of Danny's chest in time with the quiet swooshing noise of the ventilator that reassured him that Danny was still in the land of the living. Stepping across to the bed, Steve carefully placed his hand on his friend's arm, glancing at the doctor in alarm at the amount of heat he felt beneath his hand.

"We are still waiting for the antibiotics to start doing their job, Steve." The doctor told him softly.

Swallowing hard, McGarrett nodded as he returned his attention back to the critically ill man in the bed, "You're going to be fine, Danny," he whispered softly. "You're going to be okay."

"Steve,” the doctor softly tried to warn the dark-haired detective.

Looking back at the worried physician, McGarrett repeated firmly, "He's going to be okay. Danny's a fighter! He is not going to give up on us!"

Shaking his head, the doctor stepped closer to the bed and placed his hand on McGarrett's shoulder, "I hope you are right," he sighed as he looked down at his patient, "but you have to be prepared that he might not be able to beat the odds stacked against him and if he does, his recovery is not only physical but emotional and psychological as well. It's going to not going to be easy. He is not going to bounce straight back- it's going to be a long and difficult recovery and there are no guarantees that he will ever fully recover from the ordeals he has endured. He is going to need not only a lot of support from his friends and professional counseling if he has any chance of recovering."

"He'll get it, Doc." Steve promised solemnly.


	18. Chapter 18

Walking towards the HPD officer who was guarding Rodger's Intensive Care room, the FBI agent ran a hand over his thinning hair. Any plans he had of smuggling his partner out of the hospital were now gone. After meeting McGarrett, he knew if Rodgers escaped, the lead Five-O detective would not hesitate to tear the islands apart, rock by rock, to find him. And Thompson had no doubt that McGarrett would tear apart, limb by limb, anyone who dared to help Rodgers escape, especially after what Rodgers had done to his partner.

Biting his bottom lip, he knew just what he had to do. There was no way now he could protect Rodgers, especially if Rodgers was re-stabilized back on his psych meds and began to talk, or if Rodgers had told Williams anything, but he could protect himself. All he would need to do was tie up two very loose ends and then he was free to start all over again.

He silently smiled to himself, satisfied with what he needed to do as he flashed his badge again to the HPD officer who had been guarding Rodgers in the Recover Room and told him that McGarrett had assigned him to guard the serial killer in the ICU. Hiding his impatience, he watched the officer leave, waiting until the officer stepped into the elevator and the elevator doors closed, before he quickly turned entered the Intensive Care room, closing the door behind him. He paused for a moment as he glanced around the room, smiling as he saw the piece of furniture that he was looking for. Hurrying across to the side of the bed, he picked up the chair and hurried back to the door, angling the top of the chair beneath the door handle before he jammed the chair tightly against the door, preventing the possibility of anyone unexpectedly entering the room.

He turned slowly back towards the bed and was pleased to see although still sedated, Rodgers was awake and watching him. "I see you are awake. I was hoping you would be." He said softly as he walked slowly across to the bed and picked up the spare pillow that was lying, forgotten by the nurse, on the small bedside table.

Rodgers smiled tiredly as he watched the FBI agent approach his bed. "You came." He breathed softly as he struggled against the drugs to stay awake. "I thought you had forgotten your promise to join me again."

"I know." Thompson answered as he turned the soft pillow over and over in his hands and looked down at the injured man handcuffed to the bed. "But you were supposed to wait until I joined you again, but you didn't…"

"I tried…" Rodgers whispered fearfully as he slowly become aware of the pillow his partner held in his hands.

"You tried…but you didn't wait for me. I could have protected you… protected us…No one knew us here. This was supposed to be our paradise- we had souls for the taking… but you couldn't wait…" The FBI agent sighed as he dropped his voice, "I can't protect you this time, not after what you did to their cop, and I can't take that risk that you won't talk once the doctors place you back on your meds."

"No…Please… You can't, I am the 'Messiah'." Rodgers gasped as he tried to move away.

"And I am your guide. I taught you all that you know. I already own your body, your mind and now I own your soul as well." Thompson smiled malevolently as he placed the pillow over the wounded man's face and pressed down with all his strength, ignoring Rodgers' weak struggle to push him away. Rodgers' arm dropped heavily on to the bed as he stopped struggling. The agent continued to press down on the soft pillow for several more minutes before he lifted the pillow and tossed it back on to the bedside table.

Pressing his fingers into the side of Rodgers' neck, he smiled in satisfaction before he gently closed his partner's eyes. He turned and hurried across to the door, quickly removing the chair and carefully opening the door. He quickly looked around to ensure nobody was watching before he stepped back outside into the corridor, closing the door firmly behind him. He calmly straightened his coat sleeves and tie as he took up his position to guard the room.

He smiled again, now all he had to do was play the perfect agent and wait for a chance to get rid of the last loose end.


End file.
